


My Iridescent Heart

by OrbitalPudding



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: A lot of alternate universes, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Errortale, Alternate Universe - Hollowtale, Alternate Universe - Outertale, Alternate Universe - Sugartale, Alternate Universe - Underfell, Alternate Universe - Underpatch, Alternate Universe - Underswap, Are you ready for this shit, Cool science, F/M, Female Reader, I wasn't kidding when I said there's a lot of alternate universes, I'm so sorry, Inktale cameo maybe, M/M, Sprinkled with different POVs, alternate universe jumping, i have no life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-06-05 06:51:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 62
Words: 187,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6693904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrbitalPudding/pseuds/OrbitalPudding
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You were a regular young adult- yeah this summary I had before probably doesn't begin to explain how odd this story is. </p><p>You're a female human who gets thrown into a mess, tasked with traveling through different Alternate Universes in order to return back home. Little do you know that, behind the shadows of everywhere you go, there's a a plan whose gears are beginning to turn, having been rusted over time until you came along. </p><p>You were the missing puzzle peace who began the timer of death.</p><p>Now what the heck is this.</p><p>Prologue: 1-39 Chapters (Complete)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not Actually A chapter I'm So Sorry

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome! I am very, but very, rusty when it comes to writing. It’s been so long - months, years, I don’t even know - since I have done any sort of Fan Fiction writing. I decided to start again after seeing such amazing Undertale Fics out there! Of course, I’m in no way a talented writer… forgive me for the cringes I may give hahaha… but it’s good practice. We will see how far this story takes me. Toodles ~!

Hello and welcome! Again!

The reason I put this up as a chapter in itself is for several reasons. Too much content to simply throw into a description or summary. The summary itself doesn’t begin to cover it. 

This is not like your average Sans X Reader story; oh no. Ask yourself these questions: 

-Did you ever want to be in a story where you’re being surrounded by Sans’? (You’re not the only one.)  
-Did you ever want to befriend different AU versions of Sans? (Because why not)  
-Do you not mind the lack of sexual scenes? (Jk there’s some peppered here and there, but you won’t see them for a long time. Maybe. Who knows.)  
-Did you ever want to read something that may or may not be anything like Underfell, Underswap, Sugartale, Hollowtale, Underpatch/Gaster!Bros, and Outertale? 

If you said yes to all of those questions, or a few, or just one, or none, then this might be for you? Might. There will be bloodshed, tears, maybe, and definitely deaths you might not forgive me for. But most importantly of all, I am the writer, and I control the fate like the wicked person I am. So buckle up your seat belts gentlemen and gentlewomen, because you’re about to read a story that’s so out of this world that you’ll wish you never stumbled across such a piece.

That could be good or bad. Hopefully the former.

One other random tidbit is that, yes, I did get confirmation from the creators of these AUs when it came to using their wonderful creations into this mess of a story. Some I managed to get written confirmation, others simply had an FAQ on their page or post that said something along the lines of “yes, you can use it in your fan fic, but credit me please.” And credit I shall.

I would love to thank these wonderful individuals for creating the works of art I am capable of using in my odd musings. Also tumblr seemed appropriate to link really:

Underpatch (Or originally known to contain the Gaster!Sans and Gaster!Papyrus duo):  
http://gaster-skelebros.tumblr.com/  
http://borurou.tumblr.com/

Underfell:  
To whoever it may concern, I credit you fellow creators. Unfortunately, I am unable to access their tumblr? But know that in no way do I credit these characters as my own. Because they’re not. I don’t have the power necessary to do any creative stuff.

SugarTale:  
http://sugartalesans.tumblr.com/

HollowTale:  
http://sansy-fancy.tumblr.com/

OuterTale:  
http://outertale.tumblr.com/

UnderSwap:  
http://underswapped.tumblr.com/

ErrorTale:  
http://loverofpiggies.tumblr.com/

Quite frankly I tried my best to try to get a sense of how these characters are, especially knowing there are dozens. This story is in no way cannon, nor are the interactions and personalities I’ve given these characters their actual behaviors. (Winging it sometimes, especially in scenes and situations that they’ve never been portrayed in.) 

All in all, I hope this story is worth your time, and if not, then I’m glad you at least gave it a shot and were honest with yourself.

Also, when it comes to the tags, I will add them as I go. Throwing them all at once would not only bring spoilers, but dang are they a shit ton. So many tags. I just can't. In addition, I do recommend doing your several-minute-search for some of the characters in these aforementioned alternate universes, for in my story I don't really go in depth into their appearances. I simply assume that you are somewhat familiar with how the characters in, let's say, Underfell, look like. 

Thank you for your time!


	2. I Can't Believe I Got A Cake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay, here's an actual chapter. Enjoy!

The scent of cinnamon rolls and taffy fill your nostrils. Images of candy and lollipops flood in as you take in the colorful scenery around you; trees decorated with candy canes give shade to the white snow underneath. You look at your beloved friends in front of you, but they didn’t look satisfied with your behavior today.

“there’s something you aren’t telling us,” the smaller comrade begins, his pastel pink eyes studying you. His tall brother quickly pulls out a small, badly-unwrapped with the ribbon nearly falling off, box and sets it on the table in front, sighing. It was pink in color with a velvet red ribbon. The whiff of cake makes your mouth water.

“THERE IS NO NEED TO POUT _____! I MADE THAT ONE BAD RECIPE YOU LIKE JUST FOR YOU!”

“Oh, you didn’t have to-” you begin saying, but the taller skeleton going by Papyrus interjects as he reaches for the opened gift. His smaller brother, Sans, smiles at his brother’s antics.

“HERE, LET ME OPEN IT MORE SO YOU DO NOT TIRE YOURSELF WITH MORE TROUBLE.”

“don’t worry, i helped my bro out too. his cooking skills have gotten better,” he pipes out, watching his brother lift the box and slide out the rest of the wrapping from under it.

“OH DEFINITELY. YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW GOOD I CAN MAKE THIS BAD RECIPE TASTE FOR MY BESTEST OF BEST FRIENDS!” he claims, throwing the wrappings and ribbon behind him with one swift jerk of his arm. 

You blush and don’t attempt to hide it, proud to have these two skeletons as your closest friends. In fact, it’s been so long since you’ve felt this… warm. To feel your own cheeks heat up from their generosity and your heart flutter with happiness was truly worth cherishing. Back at your place everybody is cold and very detached. While you can’t blame them, you sometimes hope that they would open up to you more. 

At least Alphys does. She’s the only member of your new family that shows any interest at all.

“hey. you’re spacing out again.” Your mind returns to reality.

You open your mouth to protest, but Papyrus has already begun to make raspberry sounds as he slowly pulls out the cake hidden inside the box. A smile erupts from your heated face, copying his own raspberry sounds to the best of your ability.

It was a cake. No, it was more than just a cake, it was a cake made of lollipops, sprinkles, gummi bears, and everything nice! Your favorite! Of course, only your favorite, since both Sans and Papyrus aren’t as fond of this odd mix of ingredients. It also contains a heck of a lot of butter, milk, and chocolate.

“You even added strawberries to top it off,” you breathe out, shocked to see the tremendous amount of effort that has been put into this masterpiece. Their last attempt wasn’t as successful aesthetically, but at least it tasted heavenly. You hope it tastes just as good as it looks.

“DO YOU LIKE IT??? SANS HELPED OUT IN CHOOSING THE BEST OF INGREDIENTS, BUT I DID ALL THE HARD WORK. NO NO, NO NEED TO THANK ME, I ALREADY KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO SAY… HOW DID I EVER MEET SUCH A COOL AND SWEET SKELETON LIKE YOU, PAPYRUS?” he attempted to badly impersonate you.

“heh, time to chow down,” the smaller of the two brothers happily enthused as he took out a couple of plastic plates and forks from underneath the table. To find a table sitting randomly out in the plain snow was rather unusual, you believed, but after coming here for so long it’s practically become the norm for you. You arrive here, greet the brothers, and sit down around the picnic table to have a nice chat. Maybe even chow down on some sweets.

“AND TO THAT I WOULD REPLY, WHY, BY FATE OF COURSE!! YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER! BUT DO NOT FREAT, I WILL BE HERE TO GUIDE YOU!” he proudly states, his eyes glimmering with hope as he raises his fist in glory.

“Thank you so much, I really don’t know what to say” you mumbled, your fingers gently touching the edge of the table. You let your eyes dart up, studying the cake once more before you take in another breath. “I didn’t even repay you guys last time, so it makes me feel kind of shitty, you know.”

“don’t worry your pretty little head about it. don’t gotta.” He already served himself a slice of cake, digging his fork deep into its soft texture.

“Well, maybe.” It doesn’t take long before you give in to your sweet tooth, you index finger reaching out to swipe some of the white icing. Sans snickers at your reaction while Papyrus glares at Sans, not wanting him to start eating just yet. “But um, is it okay if I talk to you in private Sans?” you quickly ask, refusing to meet his sudden glance of shock.

“sure thing. paps, take care of the cake, will ya?”

“OF COURSE! I WON’T TRY TO EAT IT WHILE YOU TWO ARE GONE CHATTING BEHIND THE CANDY CANE COVERED TREES!” he jumps up, revealing his red and green stripped leg bones. These two skeletons were unlike the skeletons you know back at home. In fact, these happen to be themed out of candy. Papyrus sports the same pattern on his arms, making it look as if he deliberately used candy canes as his limbs. But their faces were the most stunning of all! They reminded you of the way people decorated skulls during the day of the dead back home. 

Your old home.

You let out a small laugh, hugging Papyrus as soon as you got close enough. “We won’t take long this time, I promise!”

“OH BOY, I WON’T MIND WITH THIS NOT-SO-DELICIOUS CAKE HERE.”

“Aw, you definitely make me feel better,” you faked your enthusiasm, following Sans towards a pair of candy cane covered trees. His shoes were mismatched, as always, blue and pink. Oddly enough, they managed to match with the pink fluff that came out of his blue jacket’s hood. 

When you both reached the tree he turned to lock his pink eyes with you, reminding you of the first day you fell down this unique place.

“go on, i’m listening.”

“Oh, um, well, I’m not sure where to begin,” you trail off, distracted by the rabbits nibbling away at flowers behind your friend. “I know you’re aware that I always have to go back home before the door closes.” He nods. “And I know you always asked ‘to what home?’ and I would always try to change the subject… but I’m going to answer. Because I’m afraid I might not be returning here anymore.” Your voice cracks at the last few words, making his heart-shaped eyes flicker with magic. 

“_____, it’s ok. i don’t bite.” Normally he would smile with that response, but not this time. You could see the genuine care he has for you. The care you wish your own family gave to you. You also saw the sudden shift in mood he was expressing. He was no longer filled with joy and glee. 

“Okay. It’s a long story… buuuuut I’ll make it short. It gets complicated anyway.”

“i got time.” You both lean against the tree, ready for the long conversation that awaits. In a matter of minutes, you’re going to find out if these friends are really ready to learn who you were, and where you came from. All this time they thought you lived near the waterfalls with a rather “strict” family. However, after months of having interacted with the residents of this new place, your heart started to yearn for acceptance and care. You didn’t care about the promise you had made to your own household anymore. Not when you’ve met these two brothers that have changed the meaning of friendship for you.

“I live in a different alternate universe,” you sternly say, studying his expression. And he reacted just as you thought. His expression only got worse, understanding the severity of the situation.

“so all this time, you were being told when to get out and when to return.”

“Yes, that’s right.” Your eyes widen in surprise, not expecting him to understand even a small amount of your own situation. “You’re not the only Sans I’ve met either. Back where I live in, I also know a Sans of my own. Not only him, either. I also know a different Alphys, Undyne, Papyrus, you name it. Okay maybe not everybody, but monsters who are drastically different from the ones you’ve known your entire life.” You lean forward, feeling your chest tighten as you let out what you’ve been hiding in your mind these past months. He follows suit, gazing intently and with worry. “Any questions?”

“yes.” He takes a few steps forward, dusting off the snow that collected around the pink fur that warmed his collar bones. “lots of them. uh.” There was a pause as you waited for him to shoot you down with questions. In the meantime, you turned to face Papyrus in the distance, who was happily eating and humming. 

“Actually,” you suddenly blurted out, realizing you held technology that was beyond your comprehension. “You can ask me anything you want through my cell. I just got this too. Alphys thought that the day would come when I wouldn’t be able to visit you guys, so she kindly made this for the two of us. Kinda neat really.” You hand him a pink device the size of your hands. Of course, his own hands were not that much bigger than yours.

“nah, you gotta be joking!” His eyes brighten up at the sight. His skeletal hands don’t hesitate to receive the device, itching to feel every curve and bump on its surface. “looks better than what we got down here in sugar land. paps is gonna dig it.” He tries hard not to seem excited, but after you show him how to use this technology, he loses it. 

“No, don’t worry, I’ve already added my number to your phone, and yours to mine. We can text non-stop now! I mean, not that that’s weird but… of course you’ll be busy, but I just thought that I didn’t want to stop seeing you guys. I really wanted to keep this friendship going and all-”

“don’t sweat it, it’s the best thing we could ask for.” He stands up, offering a helping hand. “’sides, we have a lot of time in our hands. can’t let our _____ get too bonely, now can we?”

“Haha, yeah, that’s right!” you laugh, accepting his hand. Both of you start heading back to Papyrus, only to notice that half the cake had been devoured. “Oh um, is it okay if I bring in the rest back home? I was hoping I could let Al-or, uh, my friend get some!” you correct yourself quickly, almost forgetting that you didn’t tell Papyrus of the truth. Frankly you didn’t think that telling him was a good idea. He seemed so innocent, mildly prideful, and too cheerful. Some part of you thought it would be too complicated for that sweet skull of his. 

“I SAVED HALF OF THE CAKE FOR YOU! I NEED TO SAY, THIS CAKE IS BETTER THAN I IMAGINED! IT’S NOT BAD AT ALL LIKE SANS MAKES IT SEEM!” he pipes up, lifting the cake out of the small table underneath him. “I’LL BE RIGHT BACK! I’LL HAVE THIS CAKE PUT NEATLY IN A PERFECTLY-FIT BOX JUST FOR YOU! NOT BECAUSE YOU ASKED, BUT BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU WOULD WANT SOME!”

“Thanks!” you force out, always enjoying the irony in his statements.

“gives us more time to catch up anyway,” Sans yawns, stretching. You knew this was going to be a long conversation.


	3. Gosh, If Only Texting Was Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any errors in my stories, especially when it comes to spelling and grammar. I do reread and proofread these chapters before I put them up! I swear! But yes, I'm a silly goose who might overlook it several times.
> 
> Also, if you haven’t noticed or realized it yet, right off the bat I started the story with characters from a different AU. I would love to link you to the wonderful tumblr of Sugartale creator, the brilliant mind behind Sugar Sans and Sugar Papyrus. They’re just so cute! Chapter 1 has the link.

You were making your way down Waterfall, balancing the cake in your dominant hand. Papyrus had drawn stick figures through-out the carry-out box he has stored from the local Grillby's. The signatures of many of his friends, as well as Sans’, covered the top of the box. 

The sound of your cell buzzing wasn’t new either. For the past twenty minutes you and Sans have been exchanging text messages in order to try the new system out. Fortunately, it was delightful to work with, and free too!

You don’t hesitate to grab the phone from your pocket, opening the messaging app to respond to your friend’s curiosity.

Sans: “so, question. do you call your version of me sans too? or shitty sans?”

You crack up, mentally agreeing with the name he had given your former friend. Yes, former friend. When you first appeared down underground, you were greeted by the Sans in your own world. He was kind, special, and quite the good looker too. Unfortunately, as time passed, you started to realize he was all not that cracked up to be as you thought. Little by little you saw his kindness shaved and replaced by bitterness. Perhaps he was always like this and he began to get comfortable around you, or maybe you were annoying him? Whatever the case, you wish you could understand the motives behind his actions. 

The cell buzzes once more, catching you off guard. You were close to your destination, the waterfall hiding the portal that had been opened at the usual time. The closer you got, the harder it was to keep a smile.

Sans: “hey, you okay bud?”

You stop in your tracks, staring at the words on the screen. Your fingers paused over the letters, hovering, unbeknownst that you’d have to enter the hell hole you just came out of. However, deep inside you do care about your own new family. They might not treat you well, but it could be worse. 

It all started when you were working at your local bakery back outside Mt. Ebbot. As always, you greeted customers with a genuine smile. Not only were you catching up with your own college duties, but you were saving up by the hundreds. Soon you could afford to buy your own nice car compared to the run-down Ford you owned back at your place.

But then it all changed after dark. Your shift was done and you were cleaning up after the employees who had already left. That wasn’t out of the ordinary either, you were accustomed to being the last one to leave the store that always smelled of fresh bread and muffins. It was like a second home to you. Or it was. 

Before you could make your way out of the shop, you hear the small creak of a cabinet door from the storage room. Thinking it was just a loose screw that was pulling it off, you decide to go to the source. After all, you wanted to make sure there weren’t rodents wanting to call this bakery their new home.

Oh you were dead wrong. 

Standing at the end of the storage compartment was a shadow. It took you a few minutes for your mind to register what you were seeing. At first you honestly believed it was your own shadow, but it didn’t move with your body. 

It didn’t give you time to think. It didn’t give you time to focus. It didn’t give you time for anything. You didn’t even have time to realize what had happened. One second you were standing in the bakery’s storage room, the next you had blacked out.

You didn’t know better. Who knew you would encounter a monster capable of stealing you away into the underground? Even if you were aware, you weren’t prepared. The years of studying in college didn’t prepare you to fend off against an unwanted monster, much less one you couldn’t recognize at first sight. It didn’t even move, and you had fainted!

Regardless of the situation, you were powerless. But, not dead. Surprisingly, you had been saved. In the midst of the confusion and time spent fainted, you were taken into a safer place. A haven, if you will. While you were no longer in the surface, at least you remained alive down underground. 

The question was, how did you get underground? How did you arrive here? How did you get saved?

All these questions your saviors refused to answer, instead wishing you could accept what has been done. And you did, eventually. To your dismay, Alphys wasn’t there when the events occurred, or else she would have gladly informed you.

Speaking of which, you had reached your destination. You had also received countless of texts of a worried Sans.

Sans: “hey, you there?”

Sans: “bud, you okay?”

Sans: “i’m getting worried here, but I know you’re prob busy.”

Sans: “sorry to be an annoying vertebruh, but, did you space out again?”

You panic, a tinge of sadness filling your lungs as you gasp. “Oh, I hope he doesn’t think I ignored him.” Promptly, you respond back with a “I’m fine, so sorry… yes, I spaced out. Again. Want to hear about it?” Being able to talk to him this way made you feel at ease. You didn’t have to invent new lies or stories to explain your disappearances and odd behaviors. At last, you could indulge in the luxury of being honest. Even if it meant it would get you in heaps of trouble.

You watch as the water pours in front of the portal you’re about to enter. Sparks and the sounds of static filled the air around it, reminding you of the lecture you’re about to get about not being there in time. Most importantly, you’re afraid that Undyne might pounce on you and throw you off balance, causing the cake to splatter on the floor. The thought itself was horrifying enough.

Sans: “sweet lord. i apologize. reading back on my texts and it’s a mess.”

Without further ado, you keep the box close to your chest, clutching it. A mixture of happiness and dread fills you as you take your first step through the portal, feeling the cold rush of wind slap your face. 

You didn’t even spend a minute inside when your felt a pair of slimy hands force you against the wall next to the portal.

“Now, where the hell were you?!? Did you ever STOP to wonder what the hell we were doing?!? Of course NOT. YOU NEVER DO.” You were taken by surprise, not expecting this welcoming greeting from Undyne. Her left eye, which was carefully redone as that of a cyborg by Alphys herself, quickly scans you. “The fuck is that. Another gift from the candy asses?”

“It’s a cake!” you protest, already knowing what she was going to reply to it.

“Cake my ass, you ain’t getting any,” she replied angrily, letting go. You weakly stood your ground, defending the box in front. The floor wasn’t smudged with the oil that was constantly thrown around by Sans and his experiments, but sparkly clean. Alphys must have cleaned it in her spare time. 

The laboratory you stood in was cleaned completely, not a smudge or spot of dust… except the wet shoe marks you had left behind. It wasn’t rare for you to create puddles of water that would stand by themselves for hours on end.

“hey, you didn’t finish,” another voice joined in. It was none other than Sans himself. His dark brown duffle coat made him look less intimidating, yet his glare was enough to shut you up. Undyne appeared to feel the same as you, straightening her stance.

“Yeah, on it. Greeting the punk here is all.”

“alright, alphys is waiting.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m going,” she annoyingly replied, making her way down the corridors. You stood there, waiting for a command to pop into your mind as her steps echoed through the steel walls. It wasn’t common for Undyne’s lovely greeting to be interrupted by Sans himself, who was always reserved and watched from afar. Sometimes it feels as if he enjoys it, which you can’t blame him for. Replaying these events makes you feel embarrassed that he sees the mess you’ve become. You used to be stronger, braver, and more resilient. But they’ve managed to break you down.

“you took your sweet time, didn’t you,” he started, slowly closing in on you. You begin to protest, not wanting him to get too close.

“S-sorry, I lost track of time. You know me, heh, I like to spend my time in sugar land and all. Especially when they bake cakes and sweets! It’s the best thing… and when I smell the air and the waterfall, it’s-” you stop, realizing you were getting too caught up in your own fantasy. He had stopped two feet in front, examining you. Testing you. You never liked it when he would question you every moment of the day. “It’s a cake, if you’re curious… I mean, I know you’re going to ask, so um, if you want, you can have some?” you attempt to spark a friendship you had lost with him months before. As always, it was a failure.

“you’re not returning over there.”

“I figured as much. I was getting less time there anyway,” you mumbled, saddened by his reaction. “Can I at least return tomorrow to say goodbye?”

He grimaces, walking away. The answer was very clear, so you don’t bother continuing the conversation. 

You look down at your phone, which brings you out of your saddened state to see somebody still cares. 

Sans: “no worries, i can wait.”

You take a good look around. It was a gargantuan laboratory, especially when you stood at the very end of it. Devices and instruments of all colors, designs, and sizes filled the room. It managed to look new and sophisticated despite how old it really was. If it weren’t for Alphys, the laboratory would definitely look just as old as it truly was. While you didn’t mind how archaic it was, there were enough bad memories that you couldn’t make yourself feel at home. Fortunately, Undyne is leaving soon, to join the Royal Guards once again. She had only visited to help Sans with an experiment he refused to talk to you about.

You were home.


	4. I Like Alphys. She's Very Cool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, there are OCs in this story (I apologize for being unable to provide a visual aid... I'm a shitty artist). Let your imagination run wild with them! Otherwise I'll point out when AUs are introduced as to try not to confuse you.
> 
> Also because I love you all I'll be updating every morning c: Or as soon as I wake up, at least.

“U-um, so how did today go?”

You pulled the green, fluffy, and rather comfortable, green blanket up to your neck. While your bed was twice as long as you, for some reason they were unable to get a blanket that could cover you completely. Your feet would always hang out, enjoying the cold weather outside.

“Bittersweet. Tried not to seem so sad but, they definitely noticed.” You let out a sigh, sitting back up to glance at your reptilian comrade. “But, hey, at least the cell you gave me came in handy! It’s probably the only reason I’m not crying a river right now.” Her pink T-shirt covered her chest and knees, exposing her lower legs and yellow feet. The glasses were slowly falling down, but she didn’t seem to care as she was secretly fangirling about your nonexistent relationship with either of the two sugar skeletons. 

“Too b-bad your time was c-cut short… sorry about that.”

“Oh no, I definitely loved every second! And we will keep talking no matter what happens anyway!” you cheer yourself up, thinking about the puns you could pull off in text messages. You fix up your pristine white pillow, watching the dust particles float out of it. “But, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“O-oh? What w-would that be?” she asks, inching closer. “D-did one of t-them confess t-to you? It was Sans, wasn’t it? Omg I need to update m-my journal!”

You blush and wave your hands in protest. “Nah, not even close. Trust me, nothing is going to happen between us. I just… he’s just like a brother to me.” You calm down, her expression that of disappointment. “He himself said I’m like a sister to him, especially to Papyrus. Love Papyrus, he’s the best.” You jump out of bed, taking the green blanket with you. Alphys struggles to keep it from touching the ground, but fails. “Oh! Don’t worry, I don’t mind it being dirty.”

“B-but you m-might get sick, like l-last time!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, as if I could get sick from a blanket that touched the floor, hahaha,” you end it with fake laughter, eyeing your room. It was a small room, but large enough for you to lay on the cold floor and stretch yourself to make angels. But it wasn’t large enough for you and Alphys to lay on the ground and make snow angels. Not that you’ve tried, but it would have been a fun experience to imitate. “You know, ever made a snow angel? I feel like making one.”

“Sorry to be a p-pain, but,” she starts, laying down on your soft bed. She’s always wanted your bed, yet you swear her bed is much better than your own. “you didn’t finish t-that sentence… about, u-um, w-wanting to tell me something?”

You stare at her, dumbfounded. “What sentence… Oh!” you blurted out, remembering. How silly! You had already forgotten! It’s surprising how easily distracted you can be, which worries Alphys. You insist that it hasn’t caused any accidents yet, but you know she deeply worries about you, more than your own sugary friends. 

“But it’s o-okay if you don’t want to-”

“No, I’ll tell you. Here, give me some room to snuggle with.” You jump right on to your bed, forcing Alphys to roll over. Unfortunately, you weren’t heavy enough to make her bounce out of bed when you impacted. In fact, it was the other way around. She’d surprise you at times by making you fall out of bed when she landed on it after a high jump. Ironically, dozens of apologies would follow, which made you enjoy your friendship with her even more. “I… um, well. I told them the truth. About this place. Well, not really them, but Sans.” She immediately sits back up, as if she were a dog who heard an intruder enter the premises without permission. “I know I wasn’t supposed to, but I knew my time was ending there and-”

“W-why?” she forced out, making you cringe. You could feel her stare of disappointment, which wasn’t made better when you felt a lump form in your throat. 

“I’m sorry I… I didn’t think you’d react this way, I honestly thought they, or I mean, he deserved to know the truth. He hasn’t told anyone anyway, and I trust him-”

“You c-could be in a lot of t-trouble, and you know that!” she started to panic, glancing at the door to make sure nobody was intruding. “U-um, let m-me close t-the d-door… just in case.” But she couldn’t, not when you saw a pair of bony hands stop the door from meeting the door frame. Alphys let out a yelp, surprised to see him here.

Oh god it was shitty Sans.

“did i miss anything?” He pokes his head in, sluggishly moving his pupils around.

“O-oh no, n-not at all, hehe,” she started to sweat, making it obvious there was something he needed to know. You worried as well, since he wasn’t as oblivious or gullible as you or Alphys. In fact, you don’t doubt he was listening from the other side of the wall. “We were just t-talking about her ex-experience at the d-different universe!” she slowly drifted away from her fear-soaked tone into a better, braver one. “I w-was also going to pr-prep her for the new experiment as w-well!”

You quickly turned your body to face her, surprised at the revelation. The blanket slides off of your shoulders and body. Prep? Was that a cover up or something you weren’t wanting to hear? Experimenting was a common thing here, but experimenting on you wasn’t. It definitely worried you. Either way, it was enough to divert Sans’ attention away from the issue at hand. Your body starts to get colder, making the blanket’s warmth look enticing. 

“is that so.” He walks past her, ignoring her attempts to save your butt. At first you thought it was futile, since he stopped too close to you, making you inch away. However, he sat down on your bed, his hands now out of his pockets. For the first time in forever, his face showing a small amount of happiness and joy. “we need you. we may have discovered a task for you to waste your time on instead on that useless universe.” Your face didn’t reciprocate his, making his happiness quickly dissipate. “i know these past few days have been… cumbersome. no progress or hope to return. but if you supply me with aid once more-” he stops to take out a mysterious silver pocket watch from his duffle coat pocket. “-we might find the answer to you returning home.”

“Home?” you repeat, the hope that has been dead for so long now being rekindled. It was hard to believe, since for months no progress has been made on breaking the barrier. The souls of the past human children had disappeared, and nobody knew where they had gone. The king and queen were ruling the underground in this universe, but were of no help to the goal of getting out. They had long given up, instead accepting the fate of staying underground for the rest of eternity. But now. Now you have the potential to leave. All you had to do was agree to do what he asked of you, and you could return home. Who knows, maybe you could take Alphys with you… and hopefully find a way to see your sugary friends once more!

His hand remained in place in front of you, enticing you. The mysterious watch on it looked futuristic and different, unlike anything you’ve seen before. A silver chain was attached to it, allowing it to be secured to a waistcoat or anything of the sort. It also came with a spring-hinged circular metal lid that could close over the watch’s contents, protecting it from the outside world. The watch was split into thirds; one-third consisted of a glass that appears to show how much power it had? You’re not entirely sure what it represented, but it reminded you of the gauges a car used. The other third had an odd gem ingrained into it, along with two buttons. Then, the last third, showed half of a red heart. It appeared as if you could make it rotate to reveal more of the contents hidden under the watch’s case. 

You hand begins to reach for the watch, as if it’s calling you. You stop halfway, looking up to meet his gaze. A plethora of questions filled your mind, unable to comprehend his intentions or motives. Should you accept, or should you reject and continue to remain here? Obviously you can’t stand the thought of accepting the latter.

You nod. He smiles, showing his canines. “glad to see you are of service.” 

“Yeah, guess I am.”

“O-oh so,” Alphys interrupts, seeing the confused expression on your face. “Let me try to explain everything. I c-can take it from here, if that’s alright with you, o-of course, sir.” Sir? You gave her a stern look, confused at the sudden formality that you’ve never seen before until now. Nobody has called him by such, making you wonder if you’ve missed something during your time in sugar land today.

“i’ll prep everything else then.” He closes his hand, forming a fist around the watch. For some odd reason, your heart begins to ache as he leaves the room with it. You try to compose yourself, confused as to why you feel such emotions towards the watch itself.

As soon as the door was slammed shut, Alphys snatched your hand away from your chest. She held it close to her own chest, worry in her eyes. “Please… g-give it a good amount of thought ab-b-about it after I explain everything to you. I r-really didn’t want you to be the… guinea pig, but he insisted so much that… I was a-afraid. I never saw him reject my ideas so harshly. A-and-”

“It’s okay,” you whispered, giving her a quick hug. “This is my chance to return home. And I hope I can take you with me.” You can feel tears forming, your face getting hot and flushed. “Now, take your time.” You let go, your hands now firmly on her shoulders as you direct all your attention towards her.

“O-okay… it all started when we opened a portal to the alter-n-nate universe you’ve been v-visiting. We didn’t even think we were capable of d-doing such a feat. It really was… a breakthrough. But it couldn’t have been done without… Sans. B-but anyway, we continued. I was happy, since for the first t-time I was making progress and not failing like before!” You could see the glimmer of hope forming in her eyes. She looks up at the anime stickers she plastered up against your ceiling eons ago. “And… we continued to research. Sans, who had shown no interest in the progress, suddenly g-gained it when we came across an issue.” 

She slid off of your bed, fixing her glasses in one hand while pulling a pen in another. Your phone buzzed not too long after, but you managed to pry your attention away from the phone by your pillow and on to your scientist pal. She clumsily made her way through your room, rummaging for any sort of medium she could use her pen on. After minutes of useless finds, you sigh and jump out of your bed. 

“Hey, if you want you can use the walls. Sucks since I ran out of paper, so I actually resorted to using the walls… that’s why my dresser is awkwardly set by my closet, to cover the scribblings I made.” You can feel your face get flustered, embarrassed to reveal this tidbit about you to her. She doesn’t seem to mind this however, and she doesn’t hesitate to take the offer. With a new sense of confidence, she slides a chair in front of her and proceeds to climb on top. Luckily for you she knew you well enough as to not confuse you with big terms, so for a while she's resorted to trying to explain things in a way you could understand. To be honest it made you feel a bit... slow? But you understood.

“You know how t-trees are… right?” she starts off, making you giggle. “I-I mean, of course you do!” she quickly cuts you off, blushing at how odd her question was. “B-but, to continue, let’s say that there was once a seed, yes? It grew and… a t-tree formed. The trunk is where all the branches come from. And this is all figuratively speaking.” She stops to glance at you, making sure you weren’t lost. You give her a thumbs up, allowing her to proceed. “We… let’s say we discovered what this seed was. In this case, the universe where everything started. It grew and transformed to be the trunk of the tree… and the branches became the other distant-” she suddenly halted, unable to draw any higher. A crappily made tree had been drawn before your eyes, and you tried not to laugh. But you did. You couldn’t help it.

“Oh my, Alphys I-” you stopped to let out a few good laughs. “Please I… okay, I’m ready. So sorry, I just couldn’t help it… I um, want me to draw? You can explain?” you offered. She looked back, blushing from embarrassment. 

“U-um well.” You quickly rush towards her, switching spots. You create a large X over her dramatically-drawn tree. “How a-about… there, yes, there-no no, maybe there… oh, uh.”

You spend the next thirty minutes trying to draw the best tree you could ever draw.


	5. I'm Itching To Return Home, But Maybe This Wasn't Such A Good Idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh what is this? Another chapter? (An exception to the once a day rule)
> 
> Also thank you for having managed to read this far. It is a pleasure.

“There.” You proudly stand beside the tree you had drawn, to which Alphys gives you a round of applause. “Thanks! It definitely took a lot of my energy away. Didn’t think we’d get so into drawing a tree that we might eventually paint over… again, like a lot of the drawings I make here. Speaking of which, why do you guys repaint everything I do here?”

“A-ah, you see-”

The door is kicked open, revealing a Sans that was forcibly staying up, drinking black coffee. You and Alphys froze, staring at him take a sip of his coffee. “done?”

“N-no, not quite.”

The three of you refuse to budge, silence taking over the room in an instant. “Drew a tree tho. We were talking about alternate universes and stuff,” you try to break the ice, not wanting to see Alphys feel uncomfortable. She was looking down to her feet, her hands locked together and fiddling. “How about you try to explain? I’m kind of curious to see you try to explain it.”

“no need to.” This catches you off guard, but then again you didn’t know what to expect. He isn’t the chatty type anymore, not like he was when you first met him. 

His left eye quickly fills up with blue magic, making you drop the pen you were holding at that moment. But it doesn’t reach the ground. It had been engulfed in blue. 

It was lifted towards the tree, to which he used by writing his findings. “found out we weren’t the only universe,” he began, albeit it sounded as if he was forcing himself to speak. “but.” The pen, glimmering with blue light, circled every instance of a branch leaving the trunk. “we also discovered that the other universes weren’t directly connected to ours in the first place, like we thought.” The pen was suddenly dropped, no longer engulfed by the mystical magic. His eye returned to its normal white color, no longer glowing.

“Y-yes… we thought that the d-different universes were con-co-connected depending on the actions we did. T-that m-maybe they were t-timelines t-that led to different outcomes v-very different from o-our own.” Alphys lifted her head, nervously glancing between you and Sans. “…b-but we found out it had nothing to do with that. Completely different.”

“the universe you were always sneakin’ into,” he continued, finishing his coffee. “it proved that it was completely detached from the our universe. No action could have caused the entire world to transform to that of sweets,” he gritted during the last word, not very fond of the characters you meet during those trips. You inch closer to Alphys, wanting to feel as if you weren’t alone when it came to enduring Sans’ constant state of vexation.

Alphys did the same, her words more confident when comforted by the soft graze of your clothes. “E-exactly! We don’t know of any magic that could! And we… um… we-”

“your relationships with the inhabitants was proof they were just as alive as we were,” he interrupts, one hand in his coat’s pocket while the other lazily holding the coffee mug. 

You doubted that. He didn’t look alive. He looked as if he had given all hope. His monotone voice, the same clothing, the same expressions, the same coffee… even his usage of words was no different. Alphys appears to be the only sane one here. Sometimes even you have doubts about yourself. The last thing you wanted was to turn to become someone like Undyne or Sans. Heartless and devoid of nice emotions.

Alphys takes a step forward, her fingers up to make a point. “A-and we want to figure out… how these different u-universes came to be. T-the root of it all. B-because they still share too m-many similarities to the main u-universe! B-but… enough differences that it’s not directly c-connected… does that make s-sense?”

You give Alphys a bemused expression with a finger on your cheek. You were completely confused. ‘So are they trying to tell me that these other universes they discovered are in no way different timelines relating to our own? Is that it? That they’re universes whose origin is unexplained? I don’t even know,’ you ponder, confusing yourself even more.

Not wanting to make them try to explain again, which could result in more confusion from your part, you twist the truth a bit. “Kind of, but I get the jist of it? Is that good enough?” You turn to look at Sans, whose hand begun to dig through his pocket. 

“good enough.” He suddenly throws you the pocket watch, prompting you to flail your hands at it. Unfortunately, you weren’t as quick to react, and you managed to slap it across the room. It made a soft click as it landed on your pillow. You force out a sheepish smile, embarrassed and shuffling your feet.

“Um… oops?” you mumbled out.

“you’re going to figure out that answer for us.” You were left in awe, not knowing how to respond as you gave them both a helpless look. Alphys was just as helpless, unable to save you from this one. “also need you to explore these universes.”

“Me?” you croaked out, your hands having landed on your chest out of fright. He nods in approval. “I don’t even know how… like, where do I even begin? Where do I go? Who do I go to? What do I do? Why-”

He slams the door shut, no longer inside the room. You grimace, disgusted he left without answering any of your questions. You turn to face Alphys, hoping she could answer the questions you were coming up with.

She was at a loss as she rushed to your bed, fixing it as a way to ease her nerves. “I’m s-sorry… I wish I c-could answer all-all your questions b-but… I don’t know either. What I d-do know though is where you c-could go.”

“G-go?” you stutter, not knowing what she was referring to. In that instant her body stiffened, as if she had seen a ghost.

“Omg… you ha-have a lot to learn,” she sighed, slumping down on to your bed. “S-sorry, but I’m so tired and w-washed down.” You rush to her aid, throwing your fluffy green blanket on top of her cold body. “T-thanks,” she mumbled, her exhaustion clearly audible.

“Rest up, I can wait until tomorrow,” you reassure her, laying down next to her. With your back pressed again the soft cushions beneath, you look up at your ceiling. The Mew Mew stickers were firmly pressed against your white ceiling, giving life to a room that usually isn’t decorated. Whenever it does get some decorations they tend to get taken down or ripped off. You’re not sure why, but you never bothered to ask. You assumed they were annoyed by them, especially the grandfather clock that loved to make tick-tock noises that loved to get Sans annoyed every time he walked into your room. 

You turn to your side and grab your phone, in the mood for a conversation with your old pal. Ever since you had left the land, and now unable to return, you felt a part of you missing. You loved going there, especially since it felt as if they pampered you with attention and love. The scent of mint and hot chocolate would always dominate the towns. At one point you even came across a dog whose fur was dotted with unwrapped chocolate, which filled your heart with warmth and happiness. It was like an eternal Christmas, always cheerful and rarely experiencing hardships or dilemmas. 

You wonder if you had changed that for the skeleton brothers.

You: “Hey, I’m back! Sorry for the wait… had to deal with the emotionless bot.”

You hold the cell close to your chest, happy that you weren’t completely detached from the heavenly land you wished you call home. Oh.

You didn’t just think that. Your home is back on the surface, not with the sugar people.

The cell buzzed, making you jump from fright. Alphys was fast asleep, your movement having done nothing to her progress. Oddly, you weren’t tired one bit. It was time to sleep, yes, but you were wide awake. Normally you blamed the chocolate and sweets for this, but this time you hadn’t touched any. 

Sans: “did he do anything to you?”

You: “Nah. But I did get asked to do something? It’s weird. I don’t know how to explain it other than by saying that I think they want to find out how your universe connects with ours? Indirectly of course.”

Sans: “oh. wish i could help you there.”

You: “It’s fine. Got Alphys here to help me out once she wakes up. She’s knocked out cold.”

Sans: “paps says hi btw. tried to find out how to message you a real cake, hehe. ain’t my bro cool? the best of the best.”

You: “Yeah, definitely. Miss you guys already. Wish me and Alphys could hop over and hide at your place. But of course, you already know why I wouldn’t bring myself to.”

Sans: “scary dad-wannabe, huh? daddy issues?”

You: “Sounds weird when you put it that way.”

Sans: “yeah.”

You stand up and look down at Alphys. Her twisted body makes you smirk, and you wonder how she manages to get away with sleeping in such odd positions without waking up sore. But you didn’t want her to know the feeling anytime soon, so you slowly position her so that she’s comfortably set in your bed. The green blanket fits her perfectly too, but now you’re left wondering where you’ll be sleeping. 

Wide awake and wanting to learn more about what you had just been thrown in, you muster all the courage you have. You’re about to go roam around and find the answers. There’s bound to be a notebook or some sort that details everything. 

“Alternate Universes isn’t so new anyway… don’t know what I can do though,” you start talking to yourself, opening the door to reveal the darkened corridor in front. It sent chills down your spine. “Maaaaybe another day?” You begin to close the door, but you don’t lock it. “No, I have to do this. Can’t be a baby anymore. Face up to my fears. If I can survive Sans and Undyne, I can survive anything.” You grow a sense of bravery while forcing the door wide open. You make your way down the dark corridor, using your cell’s screen as a source of light. 

The smell of faint bleach and dust was all you could smell thanks to the cleaning that occurred while you were gone. It was definitely better than smelling oil and burnt ashes however.

You: “Before I told you about my real home, what did you think about me? Like, where I came from and all?” You pass Sans’ room, which was opened wide enough to allow a curious eye to take a look inside. While the curiosity was definitely there, you’re not in the mood to be chatting with him at this very instant.

Sans: “thought you were a sweet kid living with rough parents was all.”

You: “Really? That’s a shocker. During our conversation it appeared as if you knew a lot more about me than I thought.”

Alphys’ room wasn’t that far off, but neither was the laboratory. Surely you’re bound to find notes of the experiments being conducted, as well as research notes you could make some use of. Walking far enough down the corridor will eventually lead you to the exit, which surprisingly revealed a volcanic setting. Luckily the heat didn’t seep through, or you wouldn’t be wearing the bundle of clothes you were now.

Sans: “i’ve had my fair share of experiences. was worked to the bone as a scientist.” You raise your eyebrow, pondering about his response. Were all the Sans from different universes somehow similar in this aspect? Were all of them interested in science? Whatever the case may be, the only two you knew definitely showed interest in science and the workings of many things, which begs the question. Would your new friend eventually become the Sans you now detest? You try not to think too much about that.

You: “You and your puns. ;) So tell me more about that. Like, to lead you to the conclusions you got when we were talking about the weird universe jumping and all.”

The laboratory was now visible, standing to your right. A dim light near the portal managed to illuminate most of the vicinity, giving it an eerie atmosphere. This, however, does not deter you from entering. The lab equipment was neatly placed in their respective cabinets, which contrasted with the small puddles of water you had left behind when you returned. 

This was where you had begun forming friendships with the three individuals you first met down here. Alphys was as she always had been, a lover of anime and carrier of such vast amounts of knowledge. You would aid them in their experiments, trying your best to succeed so you could return home as soon as possible. But, as you can tell, no progress was made for months. Undyne had left the lab to continue working in the Royal Guards, who were still hoping for any humans to fall other than you.

Despite how clean the laboratory was, the sight of a messy desk stood out. Near the portal, on a rather high table, notes and notebooks were spread out. 

You quietly slither your way there, texting your friend at every step. Once there your hands slide over the notes to the lower counter, one where you could actually visually see the notes.

The dim light flickered, making it hard to get a good look at the notes you were trying to decipher. It was in English, so you’re not sure why you were having difficulty trying to read, but it was beginning to annoy you. The technicality and difficulty of its vocabulary was getting the best of you, and to think you once read medical journals without any issues.

You’re going to take your sweet time with this.


	6. Oh Shit Did I Get Alphys In Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shiiiiiiiiiiiii, another chapter. Today too. Oops. I accidentally clicked on post.
> 
> It has a slow start, mind you, but it gets pretty hectic and odd down the road. You'll see what I mean.

The clock’s melody was soothing, easing your nerves as your hands struggled to keep the notes together in one place. Despite having spent a good amount of time, time that you haven’t been keeping track of, you still had no idea what they could mean. One sloppily written journal entry spoke of the consequences of jumping through universes using some sort of device you have never seen before. Another note, not relating to the consequences-journal-entry, spoke of a forbidden forest with knights in shining armor and mermaids. You could speak for hours on end on the complexity of these notes and how they don’t seem to relate. But there were a few that caught your attention, yet they were written in a language you could not decipher. 

Throughout your small adventure Sans was helping you translate the scribbling messes. You would take pictures of the notes that contained an odd language, a language that your sugary pal happens to know about. While you didn’t bother to ask him how he knew it, you were more worried about being caught snooping around in notes that were probably not for your eyes to see. After all, why else would you be prevented from being present in many current experiments or chats relating to them? 

“curiosity is the reason i am in the state i am.”

The cell made a loud thud as it impacted the cold floor, catching his attention. With a quick-beating heart, you turn and force yourself to meet the gaze of the individual you were hoping wouldn’t catch you at this hour, let alone by himself. 

There was nothing you could say. Your mind was blank, the sound of your cell vibrating as it received another message interrupting the awkward silence between the two of you. You hid your hands behind your back, your chest tightening in fear.

“where is dr. alphys?” he asked with hands concealed in his pockets.

“She’s um,” you start, your voice heavy with pain. “She’s in my room, asleep.”

“and you’re here.”

“Yes. Yes I am.” You awkwardly kneel down, gingerly touching the soft edges of your cell. His eyes watched you, like a hawk to its prey, as you picked your cell and returned to a better posture. “Is an apology good enough? Whatever it is you’ll do to me, I can handle. I shouldn’t have been snooping around here,” you muttered, unable to meet his gaze. You hide your cell behind your back, both of your hands firmly holding it in place. He was capable of snatching it away from you, but you have yet to see him do such a thing to you. However, you don’t doubt he could eventually go down that route one day, seeing as how much he’s changed throughout the months. 

“on the contrary.” He walks towards the notes beside you, causing you to awkwardly slide out of the way. His presence alone was enough to get you nervous, and it’s sad that its come this far. As a result, you so desired the friendship of Alphys and your sugary friends.

“I couldn’t understand the notes, so don’t worry about me having discovered anything I shouldn’t have,” you add, trying to make your actions seem as if they were futile.

“these are the notes and coordinates for the different universes you’ll be tasked to travel to.” His bony fingers traced the edge of the desk as he began to walk away from you, his eyes closed. On closer inspection, the shorts he constantly wears were definitely short enough that they couldn’t be seen unless he were to unbutton his duffle coat. It makes it seem as if he weren’t wearing any-oh look at where your thoughts are taking you to. Shame on you.

“Excuse me and um, sorry to ask but, I have too many questions about this,” you speak up, fear still being heard in your weak voice. The glance he shoots at you isn’t a sincere one. “Alphys is asleep, and being wide awake, I couldn’t help myself. I had to go figure out what’s going on. I mean, you’re suddenly throwing me into this big adventure.” Your voice starts to rise in volume, your fear slowly drifting away as you release the anger that’s been cooped inside you so long. 

He starts to grimace hearing your new tone of voice, his body now facing yours. 

“For these past months I have never been included in any of your ‘experiments’ or plans or anything! You treat me so coldly and without remorse… especially Undyne! At least Alphys still shows care and compassion towards me, which hasn’t changed the day I met her, but you!” You kept one hand close to you while the other aimlessly got thrown around as you released your bothers, your body leaning forward. “I don’t know what happened between us! We used to be close. Smiling and laughing and drinking coffee together too. I used to think that we were actually more than I thought, but I started to see our friendship slowly disappear-um, hey, if you want uh-” you begin to regret your words seeing him get closer to you. Uncomfortable and uneasy, you begin to distance yourself from his approaching body. 

In a matter of seconds, you felt the cold touch of the wall behind you, cornering you between the approaching skeleton and the laboratory equipment blocking any other exits. 

“I’m afraid okay, hey, you don’t have to get too close like that-”

“shut up and listen,” he interrupts, leaving only a foot between you two. “there was never anything more than a friendship to begin with.” His words pierced you like knives, leaving your breathless and wishing to leave him talking to the wall. It only got worse from there, a scowl erupting from his face. “but that doesn’t mean i don’t need you either. you’re very important to me, and i know you know that.” He turned and walked towards the notes once more, leaving you dazed and confused at his words. You didn’t know what to believe. You didn’t know what to think or to say. A part of you wants to try to rekindle the lost friendship once more, like the dozens of times you’ve tried. But the other part wants to run away and hide underneath the warm blankets, never to see the light of day.

“i am aware of how you are, _____, and for that reason i try not to involve you in my plans. but it’s different now. you’re the only answer to the dilemma we encountered. seeing you befriend an alternate version of myself in a different timeline got me thinkin.” The images of both Sans and Papyrus indulging in sweets pops into mind, causing you to feel guilty for having left your sugar-version of Sans waiting for you this long. “somebody like me isn’t as capable of befriending somebody that quick, let alone dr. alphys. her personality… would get in the way. but not you. oh, the very opposite happened. i saw he trusted you, indefinitely, so i said, what if you were to meet other versions of my own self? learn about the magic in their own universes.”

“Alternate universes? Different versions of you? Different forms of magic?” you repeat, starting to slowly understand how you come into play in all of this. You straighten up, placing your cell in your back pocket.

“correct. we need more power, preferably that of magic, to break the barrier.” He met your eyes, making you grow uncomfortable. 

“Yeah, that I do know. Alphys told me enough to know the issues behind breaking the barrier,” you start to catch on. He makes his way towards a large container, pulling out both his skeletal hands from his deep pockets. After seeing a blur of fingers press numerous dials, the container comes to life. The sound of metal against metal pierces your ears as you witness the container dramatically transform to that of a strange device. A black, skinny, and steel table was located underneath a floating and iridescent orb. Three sharp appendages that appear to connect halfway down the table are firmly positioned on top of the glowing orb, ready to protect it from any intruders as if they were skinny metallic hands.

“this is the orb we have created to store power. mesmerizing, isn’t it?” he says, turning his back to you, seemingly mesmerized at the orb as well. You start to hear a low sound, a mixture of both a hum and a buzz, emanating from the device. You’re unsure as to whether it’s coming from the device or the orb.

“Yes, very,” you whisper, not wanting to move from where you stand. Right now you’re dying to go back to your room, to be in the comfort of your own bed. The sudden turn of events was enough to take away the energy you carried earlier today, energy you wished you used more wisely on understanding the notes. 

Your cell buzzed again, catching you and Sans off guard. 

“she truly allowed you to communicate with the pests from the other side?” he growled, making you wince at his choice of words. You nodded, although slowly and with a frown. You were about to look away and make your way down the corridors and into your room, but something else stopped you. The feeling of not wanting to see Alphys hurt or regretting to help you started to take over you.

You didn’t want to be the cause of her own personality transforming to that of a sad mess like yours. “It’s not her fault. I gave her the idea and actually begged for her to do it for me.” It’s too late now, no turning back from the words you’ve uttered to the terrifying skeleton before you. You take a step closer to him, trying to get a new sense of confidence into you. He definitely didn’t look amused as he began to trace an invisible line in front of him. “It was my decision, and mine alone. Please,” you begged. 

“i can care less.” He finished creating the door’s outline, which popped into existence with the flick of his wrist. You opened your mouth to spill out more of your feelings, but by the time you had spit out the first word, the portal was gone. He was no longer standing before you.

The cold floor greeted you once again as you gave in to your weak legs, which were practically noodles at this point. For so long you’ve wanted to stand up and talk back to him, revealing your mixture of emotions and thoughts. As you feared, he didn’t take it so well, or at least it didn’t make him react the way you were hoping for. Instead of a cold shoulder and rude exit, you were hoping to see his eyes flicker with emotions. 

You take a look at your messages, wondering what he could have been sending you to have ironically texted when he claimed he could wait.


	7. Oh My God These Pictures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's interesting to know how many ideas I have for this story, and the possibilities this could take. It's... a lot, haha. Also, I hope that through this fan fic, as well as with other projects, my writing improves. Apologies, again, if cringe-worthy. Toodles~

You don’t know how long it’s been since you first landed on your soft duck-themed bed, but you weren’t planning on getting out of it any time soon. Negative thoughts and words kept interrupting your train of thought, making you toss and turn. 

“hey hey, don’t beat yourself up over it,” his voice, Sans from sugar land, whose sweet scent you already miss, tries to comfort you from the other side. The phone was snuggly embedded between the pillow and your nostalgic-bringing, older, torn, neatly folded blanket. Thanks for the memories, you think to yourself, feeling the loose threads hanging out of the purple blanket. It used to be your blanket since the beginning, but not too long ago it’s been replaced by a larger blanket. Sometimes you feel like exchanging, but seeing the dozens of instances where it’s torn makes you rethink your choice. 

“Do you think it was wrong of me to spill out everything?” You close your eyes, imagining the first days you’ve spent down here with the crew. The welcoming smile of the Sans you used to know. Somebody you used to know. Pfft. How fitting. Who ever thought you’d ever connect that to a pop song you used to listen to. You really wanted to reveal this finding to your friend waiting on the other side, but you know better.

“no. but i also think that you need a good dose of puns. i got a bunch written down.”

“Oh god no, please, spare me from the agonizing pain.” You can faintly hear the sound of laughter at the other side of the line, prompting you to inch closer. 

“what do skeletons hate the most about wind?”

You can already hear the sound of his younger brother protesting in the background, begging for the beginning of an hour of puns to be halted. While you would usually agree with Papyrus and change the subject, this time you were in the mood to be cheered up.

“No, what do they hate about them?” you play along, feeling your worries and doubts beginning to be washed away.

There was a pause. A dramatic one at that, which you’re quite used to when it comes to him and his oddly satisfying puns. “nothing. It goes right through them.”

“Oh my god.” His brother repeats your sentence, tortured by the first pun. “Tell me more though. I don’t mind hearing them right now.” 

“oh this is serious. you weren’t kiddin’ around-”

“WHAT IS THAT I HEAR? IS OUR DEAR _____ FEELING BLUE TODAY? DOES SHE WANT TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS?!?”

“nah bro, she’s cool. just down in the dumps-”

“OH MY GOD. SANS.”

“and I got a skeleTON more in store. you up for it bro?”

“GOOD NIGHT SANS.” You can hear Papyrus’ footsteps getting louder by the second, indicating he’s about to shout into the cell phone, as he has before. “GOOD NIGHT TO YOU TOO _____!!! I’LL BE DREAMING ABOUT THE MANY WAYS TO CHEER YOU UP IN THE MORNING.”

“Good night to you too Papyrus,” you replied sweetly, enjoying the relationship both brothers shared with each other. It reminded you of the relationship you had with your own sibling. Or at least the memory of it. Until you can return to the surface, thinking about them really brought your mood down. Knowing you might not be able to see your parents or brother is definitely worth sulking about. 

Tears start to form, causing your eyes to grow irritated. “here’s another, listen up. why do skeletons avoid the swimming pools?” Again, there was a dramatic pause. “because they hate being soaked to the bone. hehehe.” 

 

\--

 

Pictures, each showing drastically different locations, were neatly spaced out in front of you on your bed. The first to catch your attention was one that captured the beautiful glimmering stars in the horizon. It made the silhouette of the bystander at the lower left corner look majestic, and rather small compared to the galaxy beyond. Actually, on closer inspection, that silhouette reminded you a lot of somebody you know. 

“I kn-know it’s a lot to take in,” she says, playing the pictures in a particular order you didn’t recognize. “B-but I know you can d-do it! Now, what do these-”

“OH MY GOD.” You immediately crouch down to get a closer look at the next picture your eyes managed to glance at. Your hands swoop around the group of pictures, sliding them to become one gigantic pile of a mess. One by one you glance at them, your eyes widening by the minute. “This. I don’t know like. Oh my god.” After the fifth picture you give up, dropping the photographs. They take their sweet time landing upon the soft blanket in front of you, which was now messily bent and curved. 

“I c-can explain, um, they-”

“Alphys, what IS this? This is like, I don’t, it’s so much at once!” you struggle to find the right words to use. Every single photograph, taken from a distance it seems, shows Sans. No, not the Sans you know, nor the Sans from sugar land. It was a different Sans. Different in every picture. They even sported different clothing, one in particular being taller than the rest.

“U-um, uh, I can explain-” she tries once more, fixing the photographs, but you cut her off.

“So sorry for interrupting you so much right now, it’s just… oh my god.” You rummage through the photos, showing her one in particular. It was the odd one out, the one depicting a taller-than-usual Sans leaning just outside of a Grillbys. “Like, oh my god, look at this! You can’t make me do this, he looks like he can be working in the mafia. He has the coat and look! A crack-like-scar-looking thing on his skull too!”

She didn’t even have time to open her mouth to utter another word before you interrupt once more. “More importantly, how did you EVEN take these pictures?!? You got so close, yet so far away… why not get closer?!? And HOW did you… I don’t even know.” You drop the picture, eyes darting crazily over these photographs.

“It w-wasn’t me who t-took these,” she corrects you, gaining your full attention. You take a deep breath, trying to absorb all of this in. “I sent a b-bot to take t-them. Here, I can ev-even show you the one t-that… to-took the one you like specifically!” she tried to explain, starting to grow excited. “It t-took me so long to g-get the best angle to capture the-their per-personalities, but I think-oh, wait, I al-almost forgot.” She dives into the box behind your box, mumbling words you couldn’t understand. You were about to lean over, but you were quickly distracted by the photos underneath you. There was exactly seven of them, seven different Sans that you never met. 

“So… I guess these are the Sans’ from different universes?” A mixture of bewilderment and terror struck you. You couldn’t imagine yourself starting a conversation with half of them.

“C-commect!” she attempted to say through the styrofoam-filled box she was rummaging through. 

“But does that mean I’ll eventually bump into them? Because, to be honest with you, some of them do not look as kind as the Sans from sugar land.” Especially the one who showed one version who sported a red shirt. He was walking down a row of dead trees, or in the process of doing so. The camera had captured him in a pissed mood, it seems. Or was this version always like this? It wasn’t made any better when you noticed a figure who resembled Papyrus, but looked too drastically different. This was a bad different too.

“Mhmph!”

“That’s okay I guess. I’ll try to avoid them-”

“Here it is!” she gushed, holding a thin set of chains. Silver in color, the chains clinked against the neighboring chains in a rhythmic fashion. You eyed them, confused about their purpose and how they could be of use to this conversation. “R-remember how you s-said I should start m-making anime-inspired jewelry?” she squealed near the end, unable to contain her excitement. You have yet to understand what kind of jewelry that could be. 

“It looks like… a lot of chains.”

“Yes! It does! But remember that anime with the belly dancers?” She returns to being in front of you, her legs underneath her as she cleaned the chains. You gave her a look of doubt.

“Oh no. Is it actually belly chains?” you replied quickly, uncertain. It’s the last thing you thought she could be capable of making, or finding. But that wasn’t what worried you. What worried you was the thought of wearing it. 

She nodded, unable to say words as she seductively scanned the belly chains she was holding. You sighed, neatly fixing the pile of pictures to be neater. “Please, j-just give it a shot! I j-just want to see how it fits you… it t-took me so long to f-find the right fit for you,” she sheepishly stated, blushing. You blushed in return, somewhat embarrassed she would ask that of you.

“Well uh, I guess?” 

She helps you with the jewelry, careful not to scratch you with her claws. The next hour that follows is spent on her story-telling her adventures and struggles spent on trying to find such a piece. You don’t interrupt her, letting her exaggerate and explain every single detail of her journey. It’s rare to see her this excited. Last time she was this caught up in her fantasy-filled mind was when she was thinking up of seemingly-romantic scenarios between you and Sans. No, not the one you had the displeasure of being accustomed to, but the one from sugar land. 

Surprisingly, the belly chain does fit nicely. The more you look at it, the more you seem to grow attached to it.

“…b-but long story sh-short, the chain was ori-originally from a g-good friend of mine… and after weeks of r-research, I tracked it down to a small nursery in the capital. While I-I’m not sure how it got there, I sure wish it wasn’t so hard to p-pry a chain off of a child’s hands. I felt so sad, so bad, but e-eating chains is bad for your health!”

“Yes it is! You tell them!” you cheer her on, just as thrilled about her story. To know she was determined enough to go through this adventure for you was… worthy of being called a friend. You don’t deserve such a friend, especially when you have yet to give her any worthy gift. She’s given you this belly chain, the cell phone you utilize often to communicate with the skeleton on the other universe, saved you hundreds of times from the scary duffle coat skeleton, and managed to remain herself while you were slowly thrown around like a wet rag by the others in the laboratory. Not her. She retained her personality.

“Hey, thanks for everything.” You surprise her with a hug, attempting to squish her with the muscles you greatly lacked. For a minute you stay there, waiting for her to return the sudden show of affection you decided to show. It was about time you thanked her, although you could do much better than a mere hug. One day you’ll think up of something that will knock her out of balance. Sometime so grand, so great, so perfectly planned that she will utter your name for decades to come.

Today was not the day.

“_____, it’s okay,” she chokes out, her hot tears landing on your bare shoulder. At last, she returns the hug. “I’ll always be here for you. Promise.” She is the first to break the embrace, revealing an extended pinky finger. You raise your brows to that, happy she hasn’t forgotten the method you rarely use to keep promises. 

You extend your own pinky, hugging her own with yours. “Promise,” you drawl happily.


	8. This Looks Scary As Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unlike many Sans/Reader stories, you can tell this one will take a while until such a relationship even occurs. I'm trying to take a different road than many, one few have thread one, so I'm just as nervous hahaha... haha... okay yeah here's a chapter I'll shut up now.

“Um, you r-ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” You were sitting on top of a desk within the laboratory, your fingers feeling over the watch you had failed to catch not too long ago. If it wasn’t for Alphys having placed this device in a safer place other than your bed, well, you could have rolled over it in your sleep. Luckily you have somebody who actually cares for these delicate devices, unlike you. 

From what Alphys had explained, the gauge on the watch reveals how much power it still has until it runs out of juice. Power for what? She has yet to explain. But that mattered little compared to the clear gem that was embedded in it. You had just learned that it was basically a more sophisticated version of your cell phone. Now whether how it’s used, you had no idea. With a mere two buttons underneath it and a cute crystal, it’s hard to imagine how those three things alone could replace the complicated system of a phone you already carried. 

“Okay so.” Alphys arranged the pictures neatly behind one another, although you don’t know why that order in particular. “D-don’t confuse these please. It’s very important for you to know,” she stuttered, covering her face with the first photograph. It’s the same image from before: Sans silhouette against the starry world above him. “T-this is the first universe we hope you explore… because, um, uh.”

“Um?” you repeat, smirking due to how adorably she was trying to explain this to you. “It’s okay, I’m smarter than you think.”

“It’s n-not that, no-not at all!” She flips the picture for her eyes to glance on to it, reassuring her of what she’s about to say. “I believe you should start easy a-and small. Some of these universes Sans wants to throw you in are… n-not so nice. They’re scary a-and I’m a-afraid about how you’ll do on them.” 

“Oh shit, you’re serious?” Your eyes try to meet her gaze, which was covered by the various pictures she was holding up. “But it’s not like I have a choice, isn’t it?”

“T-that’s r-right.” Silence filled the room, only being interrupted by the sound of the clock and its passage of time. You hugged your knees close, thinking of the mishaps and mistakes you might make during your new journey out into uncharted lands. Alphys reciprocates your emotions, feeling just as uneasy. “B-but we can’t feel so down now. We’re so close to k-knowing how to get back home-or I-um, your home.”

“No, don’t correct yourself!” you object to her correction, surprised to have heard her say those words. “I really want you to come with me back home! You don’t have to stay here once the barrier breaks…. Not with the comrades you say you have.” Your voice dropped at the last few words. Just thinking about her remaining with Sans and Undyne makes your stomach churn. You wouldn’t allow her to be mistreated for being who she is, especially when she’s so amazing and worth more than anyone could give.

“R-really? You really think so?” Her eyes peeked from over the pictures, bouncing with hope.

“Hell yes! But uh, please do continue with the pictures… kind of want to know what kind of worlds I’m being thrown into here. I’m already getting a tad bit scared too.” 

“O-oh, yes! You’ll know them all s-shortly!” her stuttering returns, eyes behind the pictures again, making you wonder about how worried she truly is. Her stuttering and nervous tendencies were constant when you first met her, but as time passed, you noticed them slowly drift away. They seem to return when her emotions are running high, and you can’t think of many emotions that could suit what she could be having right now. Fear? Worry? Anguish? Sadness? 

“This u-universe isn’t t-too different, fortunately. The only d-difference I happen to notice is the setting. It’s set… in sp-space. Hard to believe, b-but, so beautiful-”

“Hey hey, stop there. In space? You know, the place I could die without a helmet on?” you try not to sound panicked. She gave you a reassuring smile, handing you the photograph. Your hands struggle to keep the picture from falling.

“I guess t-that’s not too important t-there? Humans have survived t-there just fine. Different universes don’t follow the same ru-rules, it seems. But it also means their manga and anime is just as beautiful, and space-themed!” she began to gush out, making you roll your eyes.

“O-okay um, sorry. The next one is this one right here.” You carefully set the space-themed Sans besides you, trying to process what you were looking at in this new picture. “This universe… it’s as if per-personalities got switched! L-like, I tried to see how I was like in that universe, a-and, come on, I was just like Undyne-n-no, not the Undyne you k-know now!” she quickly changed the subject, seeing you tense up at the name. “B-but, um, the Undyne in t-that universe was like me. It was… interesting to see. I wish I could have m-met her, but it’s b-better if you go instead of me. T-then we can have story time and talk about everything you experienced!”

“Yes! Although only about the good times, okay?” you giggle, succeeding in making her smile. “So that means that everybody isn’t themselves? Like, I shouldn’t expect them to act like they would here?”

“C-correct.” She fixes her glasses, sliding them up the bridge of her tiny nose.

“I think I can remember that. It’s like meeting the same person, but in a different body… sounds weird when I put it that way.” You stare at the picture, your stomach churning. Were you ready for this? This came up so sudden… to be doing this.

“T-trust me, I feel t-the same way… But here, so you can get a closer l-look at it.” You receive the second photograph, trying to visualize the Sans and Papyrus from that universe in front of you. It seemed obvious, from their stance and expressions, that what Alphys had just explained is true. “N-next one is this one,” she continues, making you set the picture you held aside. “It is a-actually just like our o-own universe, but with small differences in Sans and P-Papyrus.” You glower at the sight of the taller-version of Sans, expecting that visit to be an unpleasant one.

“I can already tell I’ll have fun with that one.”

“H-he’s not that bad! If you h-handled our Sans, t-then I think you can easily befriend this one. From what I’ve ob-observed, he’s simply a tad bit rougher, b-but still nice.” Your glowering expression remained intact, making her grow panicked. “B-but don’t worry! You can c-call me any time if you need help!”

“Nah it’s fine. I’ll learn to deal with it,” you reply, erasing the frown you were carrying. “Okay so that’s three so far. Give me the other four I have to eventually travel to.” She hands you the third photograph and reveals the fourth. Its lush green forestry displayed in the background caught your attention. Months of not having seen trees that weren’t from down underground shocked you, much less to see clouds and rabbits hopping about. 

At first you didn’t think much of the knight sitting at the far corner, but when you realized there was nobody else around, you snatched the photo for a closer inspection. “Oh, er, sorry about that,” you quickly apologize, only to stop at the sight of the next photograph. And the next. And the next. Then there were no more photographs to see. 

“T-the first one you grabbed is, y-yes, not underground… which surprised m-me too! B-but it’s more of a forest setting, reserved for monsters. T-think of it like their version of our underground? I don’t know m-much about their customs yet, but it’s definitely different f-from our own.” She inched closer, trying to peek at the photograph you were staring at now. “A-ah, and that one! That’s the fifth one! It is just like anime! Oh my gosh, I could talk about it all-”

“What about this one?” You show her the last two. Her delightful expression changes to that of sorrow. “Well, more like this one. The other photo I can already tell that it’s a shit ton like the movie with um, dragons and trainers. But this one… um, I remember seeing it last time. It gave me chills.”

“You a-aren’t wrong to think t-that, _____.” You watched her intently, waiting for a response. Seeing as how her mind was stuck in whatever she was thinking, you pick up the pile of photographs and begin to tidy them up once more. “T-this one is the last one, or t-the last one I hope you encounter. It’s, u-um… not a place I w-would send you to. Sans w-wanted you to go to this one too.” She hands you the photograph depicting darker-versions of the skeleton brothers. “T-that world… it’s scary. Sad. N-nobody is nice in there. Y-you will have a h-hard time and… I-I’m so sorry, but I w-wasn’t given the option to say no and I do-”

“Don’t worry one bit about it, okay?” you interrupted, placing your free hand on her shoulder. You hop down from the steel desk, pictures in hand. “I’m sure I’ll be ready once I get to that universe. Let’s be honest, I’ll be so tired of this by the time I reach the fifth one that, when I reach this last one, I’ll know what to do.” Alphys forced a smile, hugging you. You let the embrace last for a few minutes before you break for air. “OKAY. So, if I remember right, you guys want me to go to all these universes and explore and learn about their magic?”

“Y-yes, that’s right.” You hand her the photographs. She delicately accepts them, arranging them in the order they were first presented in.

“I won’t lie.” Your tone drops, thinking about the true purpose of these travels. “Going to different universes that might seem like different planets sounds like an adventure and all, but, um, a lot of them look terrifying and don’t sound appealing… and… I don’t want myself to be in a situation where I can’t do a-anything and I… I…”

You start to cry. The thought of getting to meet these different universes and everything in them sounds exciting, but by yourself? It was an uneasy thought. Like a young child thrown out into the real world without anything to begin with. It wasn’t something you wanted to do. It definitely wasn’t something you would be doing if you were back at your real home. But if you don’t, you’ll be stuck here for who knows how long. Living with Alphys isn’t bad, but the prospect of living with your version of Sans and Undyne is terrifying enough. To never see your family, co-workers, pets, possibly your future lover… it’s all hard to bear. Is it worth sacrificing your life and exploring the magic in each in order to return home?

Yes.

“I k-know it’s hard,” Alphys begins, reaching past you to grab the metallic watch. “B-but I believe you can do it. Y-you won’t be having an e-easy time, but I know how w-what you mean.” She opens the lid, double-checking to see if everything was in working order.

“Anything else I should know before I get ready?” She nods. You furrow your brows as you watch her press on the gem. “Oh… now that’s how you activate it. Here I thought pressing down on it would activate something dangerous… does it?” you asked, slightly panicking.

“N-no!” she blurted out, easing your qualms. “It’s your c-communicator.” A holographic screen appears before you, emanating from the gem. It’s dark mint in color, flickering as the gem below it keeps it alive. But what caught your attention the most was the circular picture of sugarSans located at the top right corner of the screen.

“This reminds me a lot of social media-no, more importantly, this is just… brilliant! So can I like, you know, swipe across it with my hands and touch icons?” you enthused, staring at the rather small icon of your sugary pal. 

“C-certainly! Of course! A-and, while it d-did take a long time, I finally managed to f-find a system where you can add p-people to c-communicate with.” Her hand reached towards the minty screen, eyes squinting. At the very bottom of the screen, centered, were three holographic buttons. “Look, the one at the v-very center closes the hologram. Then, t-the one right here,” she points to your left, which is her right, “will make a s-screen appear where you can add others. T-then on the other side of the center b-button is where you go to see items you s-stored or want to take out.”

“Woah there.” You press the button for storage, but it slides over to… an empty screen. There’s nothing there. Well, what else did you expect? “So I guess I can take stuff out and put stuff in? Care to explain how?” Your eyes remained glued on to the screen, unable to comprehend how she was capable of creating such a device.

She hands you the watch with the hologram. “Yes!” Alphys makes a quick dash out of the laboratory, heading down the corridors that were heading to her room. While you wait, you slide your hand under the hologram, seeing it disappear as you cover the gem, only for it to appear once you return your hand to your side. 

“This is just so neat,” you whisper, your face inches away from the screen. Your hands quickly swivel around your body, taking the watch with it. As you thought, the hologram is taken along with it, although the gem has a difficult time keeping the screen as a softly-edged square. 

Heavy footsteps approach the laboratory, prompting you to stop goofing around. You return the watch to your hand, face up and with the hologram firmly in place. To see technology improve this rapidly in the hands of Sans and Alphys is definitely phenomenal. Little did you expect to see this within the next decade back at the surface, and here you are, witnessing it first-hand. It fills you with wonder and curiosity, like a child who has seen a three-foot lollipop. 

“Here, t-take-” Puff. “t-this!” Puff. She gasps for air, the run having been her exercise for the month. Your hands grasp the snow globe she had found, admiring the soft texture underneath it. “S-sorry I just… g-gotta catch up m-my breath… It has d-definitely been… a while,” she claimed, pausing between every few words to catch her breath.

“I know the feeling all too well.” Shaking the snow globe revealed small, white pieces of confetti flying within the liquid container. The miniature statue of a white dog in an elf costume stuck with an eternal grin was sitting on the center. More like an annoying white dog.

“Okay, I’m d-done!” she let out, air hissing through her teeth. She dusted her lab coat and waved her arms around you, trying to prevent her own dust particles from getting close to the screen. “S-sorry about that, um, a-anyway, you can t-touch the button farthest from t-the gem to initiate storage.” You did as you were told, perplexed by the idea. In a matter of milliseconds, the hologram transformed to that of a 3-D box, making you jump slightly. 

“Oh my-the heck is this? Is it the storage box?!?” You quickly set the snow globe on to the desk behind you in order to explore the contents inside the box. Surprisingly, your hand felt no different being inside the 3-D box than it does outside of it. From the corner of your eyes you can see Alphys grabbing the snow globe. 

“T-this is how you use the storage b-box,” she mumbled, trying to catch your attention. She was unsuccessful. 

“This is so weird like… oh my god. Look at this, Alphys, LOOK AT THIS! The 3-D box is like, you know, THERE, it’s 3-D and I can slide my hand through it-oh! LOOK!” your eyes brighten with child-like wonder seeing Alphys place the snow globe inside the box. At first you were uncertain about her intentions, even after she kept reassuring you that, no, the snow globe would not fall through the box and break on the cold floor below. She was certain you would try to save the snow globe with your trembling hands, so she took the watch from your prying hands and demonstrated the procedure. 

You watched in awe as the snow globe was placed in the 3-D, holographic, minty-colored box. It didn’t fall through the hologram like your hand does, but it stayed floating inside it, rotating itself. What followed was a confident Alphys who pressed the same solid button again, which caused the 3-D hologram to return to its 2-D screen. 

“God damn, it’s just so much at once,” you blabber out, sliding your free hand through the screen to see the snow globe in it. “This is so cool.”

“Yes it is!” she replies with just as much wonder. Her eyes sparkled with excitement seeing you with the same wonder she has for anime. Of course, you weren’t as pumped for anime, or as passionate for it, as she was, but at least you didn’t dislike it. Once a week you would sit with Alphys and watch a marathon of an anime of her choosing. After many weeks of experimenting with them, you realized it was best to set a limit as to how long of an anime you can handle. One in particular was more than 300 episodes, and still running, and it was torturous. It wasn’t like that one anime with magical girls turning straight up evil, which you definitely enjoyed, but it didn’t even last a season. It was sad to see it gone so soon.

But seeing the tremendously long show was better than being sent on uncharted lands to make friendships. Friendships you will eventually have to break and cause betrayal. It didn’t suit you at all.


	9. You Expect Me To Dodge That Shit Like Goku? Hahahahaha...

Alphys had done a spectacular job of explaining both the plan and watch to you. The pocket watch consisted of three parts, one of which will now replace the cell. These past few hours she taught you how to use an individual’s own fingerprint to add their data into the device, which recorded it and could now tap into their own phones like some magical device. The thought itself was enough to make you tremble from excitement, especially now that this watch came along with a program that allowed you to chat, in real time, face to face from the other screen. How it could even do that, you’re not even sure. 

That wasn’t the best part either. Other than chatting face to face, messaging, storing actual items with a limit of 30, it also possessed the ability to tell you how much magic it had left. Yes, it was powered with magic. Alphys refused to tell you what kind of magic it was powered with, but hearing her state “hand it to Sans” was good enough. You weren’t looking forward to recharging your pocket watch with Sans. 

Your hand slides across the power gauge, which reflected your moistened lips. The clear crystal underneath the gauge contained the hearts that would power you through the universes. Again, Alphys refused to tell you where the hearts came from. All seven of the hearts were neatly drawn underneath the crystal glass, able to be revealed by turning on a small dial on the watch’s side. Red, light blue, orange, blue, purple, green, and yellow. They contained in them a faint glow, which could be seen in the darkness. While it was a beauty to see, it reminded you of the difficult journey that lies ahead for you. 

Today was a new day, and last night you had been tossing and turning thinking about what today will bring. You were told, before you had begun your slumber, that you would undergo simple training in order to survive any attacks or assaults that come your way within the universes. While it wasn’t a problem for you when Alphys presented it to you, it definitely changed to become one when Sans interrupted and concluded he would be the one to train you. Alphys didn’t look promising as a battle instructor, so you shouldn’t have been surprised to see him reveal that, but you didn’t want to be reminded of it. 

The silver pocket watch, ironically, didn’t come with the ability to tell time. The urge to tell Alphys to add it was strong, but you didn’t want to bother her with more of your problems. You’re sure you got her in trouble when Sans learned she had allowed you to communicate with the sugary brothers from the other universe.

“i don’t have much time,” his monotone voice interrupted the calming silence in your room. You shot up from your fetal position, startled to see him so soon in the morning. “the sooner we get done, the better.” You staggered out of bed, nearly falling as you reached your closet. There wasn’t much to choose from, especially since down in the underground they don’t have clothing for humans. All these were hand-picked by Alphys herself, who tried to keep your height and weight in mind. She was lucky in her guesses, since the majority seem to fit nicely with minor mishaps like manufactured holes that came along with them for monsters with wings or tails. You didn’t have any of those things.

“Almost done!” you hollered, wanting to make sure he didn’t leave you alone. Last thing you wanted was for him to disappear without telling you where you two should meet up. 

“stop tottering and get over here,” he grimaced, opening a portal in front of him. Your cheeks flustered knowing he was correct to say that you wobbling. Putting on clothes at the speed of light wasn’t an easy task, and it was clearly showing through your unsteady movements. 

“Okay done.” You jog over to him, careful not to touch the edges of the portal. The last time you let your curiosity get the best of you, Sans had roughly snatched your wrist, pulling you away. The lecture you received was an emotional roller coaster as he went on and on about the consequences about touching the edge of the portal. You’ve been better when it came to handling his lectures, since they weren’t too far in between each other, but they were definitely getting shorter and colder. You preferred the first lectures you received, where he would end it by reminding you that he still cared. Not these past ones, where he would end it as quick as he started them. 

The two of you walked through the portal, teleporting from your room and into a large empty field that’s sheltered from the rest of the underground by a dense forest. Snow covered the ground beneath you, hiding most of the plantation that was trying to sprout out of it. 

“Are you sure Alphys can’t be here to watch over us? It does make me feel, you know, um… like, comfortable and all… um,” your voice softens as you progressed through the sentence, seeing him eye you suspiciously. “If you don’t want to that’s okay too though, just suggesting.”

“don’t need her.”

“I know. You can definitely handle everything on your own.” He speeds up, making you jog after him when he gets too far. You turn to check on the portal, which was now closing up the farther you got. “So um… I know I’m being annoying but-”

“always were.”

“Ouch, that really hurt me down here in my tiny heart,” you spat, beginning to feel your face heat up. “But, anyway, you have magic. I don’t. I’m not sure how that will work out.” Once you two were far enough, he made an abrupt stop. You stop along with him, your arms crossed in front of your chest out of anger. His attitude was definitely something you disliked.

“first thing we gotta do is teach you how to dodge.”

“And how will you think we can-OH SHIT!” you yelled, barely missing a white projectile. You scoffed at him, realizing he wasn’t going to wait until you were done to start the training. “I love your manners, so polite.” His left eye socket began to flicker to life, ready to summon another pair of bones. You tried to pose as menacingly as possible, but it only caused him to snicker. 

“don’t waste my time, i don’t have much of it left.”

He doesn’t let you speak, sending a barrage of bones towards your weak and fragile body. You start off strong, dodging the slow attacks, but with sloppy movements. Every barrage that follows would get faster, quickly tiring you out by the time the fourth barrage arrived. Bones here and there would graze you, making you yelp and wince in pain. You didn’t have the skills to dodge with ease, like Sans would. On the contrary, you were tripping, dazed and confused as the bones blurred across your vision. You trusted your guts over your vision, but it didn’t always work.

 

\--

 

You’re not sure how much time has passed by the time you had fallen victim to your exhaustion, collapsing. The coldness blanketed you, making you feel at ease after such a long workout. Unfortunately, the snow wasn’t as welcoming towards your wounds. They burned at the touch of the cold mistress, making you flinch every time.

You let your body lay there, ignoring the skeleton feet away from you. ‘Let him grow annoyed from the exhaustion you were demonstrating,’ you thought, spitting out a small mouthful of blood. It isn’t your fault you didn’t have the same abilities and skills he wielded. 

“you are such a mess,” he whispered near you, making you jump from fright. He grabbed a handful of your jacket, forcing you to stand up. Despite being only a few inches taller than him, he still manages to scare the wits out of you. “starting over. get ready.” 

“W-wait!” you stuttered, clutching the collar of his jacket. He turned to face you, uninterested in what you had to say. “Are you sure this is the right way?” He jerked away from your hold, continuing on ahead. You bite your lip, not wanting to endure another hour of training. 

Your eyes traced the outline of his body, trying to distract you from the task at hand. You didn’t want to continue with the training, especially since your body ached from pain and exhaustion. Small dots of blood were splattered throughout your vicinity, reminding you of how weak you truly were compared to the monster in front of you.

Once he had reached his desired distance from you he lifted his arm, blue threads of smoke beginning to stream out. You try to regain your posture, seeing as how there’s no way out of it. You had wished you had taken up the time to ask your old sugary pal for lessons on skeleton magic. Maybe he could have thought up of a nicer way to teach you. 

You watch as bones line up alongside him, a faint blue glow surrounding them. You didn’t have time to register their position by the time they had rushed towards you. You immediately crossed your arms in front of your face, protecting it from the barrage of bones you were receiving. Pummeled and beaten to the ground, you try to endure the pain of bones colliding against your own. At times your own body refused to listen to you. You would want to dodge right, but your legs would give up and make you trip instead. 

These embarrassing maneuvers only kept getting worse as the time passed. He didn’t care if you were worn out or out of shape. At one point he did manage to give you ten minutes of rest, which felt like an eternity of peace and heaven. However, it was cut short when he deliberately slammed a bone near you face, reminding you that time was up. 

But a small part of you enjoyed this. You were getting lessons about trying to stay alive and not die. Obviously that wasn’t part of your bucket list, but you were getting somewhere with Sans. Little did you expect to be training with him, let alone see him try to strengthen you up. Alphys wasn’t capable of this, and last time Undyne attempted to do this you were nearly killed when she impaled a spear through your leg. Miraculously, Sans managed to heal you with a matter of magic and technology. How? You were still unsure to this day. 

 

\--

 

Warmth enveloped your body, making you snuggle against the material that was covering you from the snow around. You’re not sure how you got to this position, sleeping on the ground and with a headache, but it didn’t matter. You were warm, no longer dodging bone bullets, and enjoying a nap.

“Er um.” You sit up, dazed. Blacking out wasn’t a common thing with you, but you believe that was the case this time. The last thing you remembered was dodging a beam of light and getting a glimpse of ice. Did you slip on ice? Did you impact the ice hard enough to black out? Did you faint from exhaustion?

“blacked out from exhaustion,” a voice answered your queries. Sans was looming above you, his duffle coat absent. You blinked, not accustomed to seeing him without his coat. The black shirt stood out from the white bones and snow around. “didn’t want my test subject to freeze. had to warm you up before we start training again-”

“I can’t! I’m hurt, tired, in pain and-” you stopped when you noticed the coat wrapped around you like a blanket. “Oh um, thank you about this between. Surprised you gave me your coat.”

“don’t care. you’re gonna continue training you like it or not.”

“When are you going to stop scorning me,” you whispered, looking down at your feet. They shuffled within the snow, causing piles of snow to pile on top of your shoes. “I know I’m not that strong, and knowing that, I know I won’t get as quick and agile as you in a matter of hours. Maybe not even days.” A new feeling started to burn inside you, that of bravery and confidence. Your legs didn’t feel weak anymore, and you took advantage of that. “I’m only going to train for a bit more, but then I’m going to ask of you to please, if possible, whatever it takes, to return us back to the lab. I’m already past my limits at this point.” You stand up, mustering the necessary courage to meet his glaring gaze.

“standing up is a clear indication that you’re not.” You quickly glance at yourself. Yes, you were standing up and without any pain. Unfortunately, the pain quickly jolted you back to reality. Your bravery and confidence was now gone and replaced with tottering and shuffling. 

“ready?” he asked, the blue glow returning to his eye.

“Not like I have much of a choice, do I?” you scowled. 

He smiled, making you feel rather weak as you gaped at the sight of his canines.


	10. Okay Maybe I Can Glow Like Goku, Oh My God

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is going to be a long one, I will assure you of that, so... welcome! Again! I mean, if you've gone this far, something is up, right? Right? Hahahaha... haha. Yeah. Hello.

Success wasn’t your middle name. The next day of training beat up your body just as much as the initial day, and you've reached your limit much sooner as well. But he kept going. He didn’t wait until you got better. In fact, he would only stop when it was obvious that you were fainting from exhaustion. Even then he would only give you, or what felt like, ten minutes of rest.

 

\--

 

Day 3:

You managed to sidestep a line of bones protruding from the ground, giving you a small pinch of hope that you might survive. “Hey hey hey! I think I’m-” you wave to him, only to screech at the sight of another barrage of bones from above. “NOPE. NOT GETTING BETTER!”

“focus. you’re faster, yes, but you tire much too quick.” He stops for a few seconds, waiting for you to regain your composure.

“It’s only day three!” you whine, beads of sweat falling down your chin.

 

\--

 

Day 9: 

“I’m worried. Can’t feel my pain as much anymore because of these exercises and training sessions. We’re doing more and more of them every day, and I swear it’s tough on my body,” you voice your worries to him. You were resting on the cold snow below, your warm body soaking the cold mistress below. He was standing beside you, his heavy shoes smudged with dark snow.

“i can care less.”

“I know, but I do care about my body you know.” You sit up, arms resting on your knees. 

“shut up and keep training.” A whimper escapes your lips upon hearing his words, his cold venom easily prompting you to stop whining.

 

\--

 

Day 15:

You huffed and you puffed. You have successfully dodged most of the incoming attacks. He no longer used bones for his weapon either. He resorted to using close combat just last night, which threw you off guard since he didn’t warn you ahead of time. You definitely got a beating out of that one.

Today you weren’t any better at predicting his movements.

“still too weak,” he commented on your performance. You had just scrambled up to your feet, your vision blurry and with a light head.

“I don’t know, I think I’m doing pretty-STOP THAT!” you screeched, darting away from his silhouette. He took full advantage of the fact that he can simply jump through space and time to get right next to you. 

“better than yesterday. impressed,” he notes, looking out into the distance behind you.

“Surprised you’re impressed to begin with,” you exclaimed, amazed, never believing you could impress this cold-hearted skeleton. Somehow you did. “But hey, gotta-OOF! OUCH!” He didn’t let you continue, landing a punch right on your chest. You didn’t have enough time to react completely, just having separated yourself a few inches before he made the blow. 

“don’t talk to the enemy.”

“I mean, I don’t see you as the-OKAY fine I get it!” you cut yourself short with a cry, dodging yet another of his punches. You weren’t very strong, nor were you very keen on trying to hide your pain. By now he’s used to seeing you tear up.

 

\--

 

Day 23:

The exhaustion was overwhelming and your arms were burning from the various different attacks he’s unleashed. You’ve seen bones hurled at you in all the directions imaginable, even from the ground itself. The irony of it all is, despite claiming that you could die at any moment if you don’t step up your game, he always intervenes when one of his attacks is about to land the death blow. It’s happened many times actually, like when you were too slow to dodge the bones that shot from the ground, he easily made the bones just underneath you halt before doing any further damage. Or that one time he introduced his own gaster blasters, where you didn’t dodge in time and he quickly teleported in front of you, redirecting the attack himself with a materialized bone. 

It made you feel special, and at some points you would deliberately refuse to dodge just to see him protect you from harm. Unfortunately, he started to catch on to your reasoning and didn’t think twice before scolding you. 

“More training or...?”

“getting better.”

Frankly, you thought you were good enough. You could dodge nearly everything he throws, except those annoying beams of light that his gaster blasters released. The majority you could dodge, but they were too fast, too quick. He had blasters of all sizes too, so it was difficult to pin point how much those beams could take up. But it mattered not, for you had no choice in the matter, now did you?

“Anything else I haven’t seen that might help me out?” you timidly asked, your arms curled in front of you. He glares at you, making you wince.

“perhaps. not of your concern-”

“Please? It’s… painful. It hurts. A lot,” you tried to reason, yet your mind was unable to think of a coherent sentence.

“they won’t stop to chat with you, will they? so i have no need to warn you of my attacks,” he kept refusing, his own reasoning stomping down on your own. You looked down at your feet, disappointed and in constant physical agony.

He was right, but you refused to back down easily. You wanted to prove to him that this was enough, even if deep inside you wanted to keep training. But no ideas came to mind, and you were left standing there like a lost soul. The only method to convince him was to continue with his arduous regimes. 

“Well… okay.” He lifts his arm, but this was different. For a second you caught a glimpse of more than just his usual light blue color in his eye socket. Red, orange, some purple… colors you’ve never seen before. 

You were terrified.

“H-hey, don’t be-” 

A green cage erupted from the ground, sealing you inside without warning. With fear-soaked legs, you wobbled your way to the edge of the cage, staring at Sans with horror and disbelief.

“don’t look too surprised.” His open hand slowly began to close, the cage following suit. You rush to the center, unable to process the thought that he had this ability as well. What could you do?!? You’ll be squished. You’ll be dead.

You didn’t want to die. 

Your hands reached for the green bars, but you quickly regretted the decision when you felt a jolt of electricity run through you. The ground, despite the snow, wouldn’t let you dig out quick enough. The bars were not wide enough for you to escape through, and doing so might fry your body before you had the chance to squeeze through.

Your knees gave in to your fear, your eyes unable to decide where to look. The gate was getting smaller, now half the size it originally was. His hand was close to being completely closed, making you tremble from the thought of being near death. While you know he wouldn’t be capable of killing you, you didn’t want to experience a near-death experience. 

The environment started to grow blurry, your breathing too quick and shallow. Arms hugging your body, you embraced the cold snow underneath as you fell as a sign of defeat.

Then you suddenly heard it. The sound of the pocket watch dinging for your attention as a friend awaited your response. This was enough to wake up something inside you… a glow. Despite the closed eyes who refused to see the gate of death looming above you, you could still see through your eyelids that a glow was emanating from you. A white, bright, powerful glow.

Sans’ gasp could be heard, startled at whatever he was witnessing. But you didn’t care. You didn’t care if the glow was destructive or odd or different, of if it were yours or not. Right now all you cared about was getting away, and you couldn’t think of anything else. You didn't want to go through any more pain.

You pry open your eyes, the bright white light blinding you. There was ringing in your ears as you tried to stand up, a surge of energy running through your veins.

And you don’t know what you witnessed afterwards. The white light was still blinding you from the events that were occurring around you.

A blast of wind knocked you down, your body greeted by the cold mistress below. Your eyes darted back and forth, trying to look for any sign of movement or life. The horrible vision and dazed feeling remained for a few minutes before your vision began to register silhouettes of the outside world. 

You jumped at the sight of Sans’ silhouette teleporting in front of you.

“good enough.”

His voice was barely audible, your vision still trying to recover from the blinding light. You could barely register what was going around you as a low humming took over your ears. It’s as if you had just survived a small explosion, except it didn’t come from bombs themselves. The bright light was the culprit.

“I uh… yeah,” you forced out, trembling. You tried to stand up, but you nearly fell if it wasn’t for Sans catching you, mid-fall. “I don’t feel so good.”

“let’s return.”

The vision in your eyes finally returned, allowing you to catch a glimpse of Sans opening a portal back to your room. You clutched his arm closest to you, not wanting to lose your balance. Nausea started to take over, making you feel horrible.

“Oh my god I think I might throw up-”

“you humans are disgusting.” He wraps his arm around your waist and jumps through the portal, unable to watch you look so helpless. Without care or concern, he threw you to your bed. “rest up. you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“H-hey, I uh, don’t feel good though. You sure I-”

“it’s an order.” With that said, he slammed the door shut. The portal still remained intact, the environment on the other side bringing painful memories from the days before. How long has it been since you first started training there? It felt like it was a while, but you’re sure it was less than a month… or was it more?

“Order my butt,” you mumbled, hugging your knees close to your chest. “No thank you or nice chat. Wonder where Alphys is anyways.” Your pocket watch was snuggly hiding in your pocket, undisturbed and still clean despite the training you’ve endured today. Opening the lid revealed a glowing gem, awaiting your response. 

It was your sugary pal Sans.

“hey bud,” he began the conversation, the screen showing soundwaves that dramatically changed in shape depending on his voice. 

“So sorry for the wait,” you replied, trying to mask the pain.

“nah ‘s okay. just worried for you is all, can’t let you get all sour on me, right?” You can hear a candy wrapper on the other side of the line, making the soundwaves on your screen go haywire.

“Is that… a candy wrapper? Wish I could have some candy too, especially that chocolate rabbit. Tasted like heaven.” You really wish you did. Chocolate could perk you back up, returning the energy that you had none of. The training has drained you out completely. Moving your arm was a struggle, especially when it felt as heavy as a boulder.

“you got it. sugar packed lollipop, minty flavored,” he says, popping out the p’s when presented. “but that rabbit isn’t on sale anymore. they replaced it with the duck-shaped sugarless abominations.”

“Oh my god. The way you said minty was so cute. Say it again.”

There was a pause on the other side, followed by more unwrapping. “minty.”

“That is just too cute,” you enthused, the pillow welcoming you back to bed. Small moments like these were precious to you, even if they seemed silly or odd. They made you feel at home, where the scent of pinecones and cinnamon rolls were always present. Where your dog would wag his tail in anticipation of your arrival. Where the mailman would deliberately arrive late to your mailbox just to say a quick “hello” to your unattractive self. 

If only you could relive those moments once more.

“heheheh, is it? will make sure not to say it again. but don’t worry ‘bout the choco-rabbit. i got you something better.”

“Really? You didn’t have to… no really, you didn’t. I have no idea how I’m even going to get it-”

“IT’S ME, THE GREAT PAPYRUS!!”

“i got you a sugar-rushed paps.”

“God damn it Sans,” you snicker, trying not to laugh due to the stings of pain that would occur throughout your body. But you were ready to handle the long conversation you’ll endure with Papyrus regardless. From your time spent in sugar land, you definitely know about how sugar plays a role with these two skeletons. While you’re not sure why it happens, Papyrus tends to get hyperactive and filled with energy when supplied with too much sugar and candy. Sans appears to handle it pretty well, just like the majority of individuals you know do. However, you also know that when Sans gets a hold of sugarless or sour candy, it can dramatically alter his mood. You’ve been there and seen it. It’s something you best avoid. 

“_____!!! _____!!! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!?”

“Yes, I hear-”

“GOOD. FOR YOU SEE, I HAVE PREPARED YOU A LIST OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE CAN PARTICIPATE IN WHILE ON THE PHONE! YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TRYING TO KEEP THE SPARK OF OUR FRIENDSHIP STRONG, BECAUSE PAPYRUS WILL HELP YOU!!! MY BROTHER WAS A SOURPATCH AND DIDN’T THINK WE NEEDED ANY, BUT I THINK OTHERWISE! I THINK LIKE A GOOD BEST FRIEND, AND I KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD DO. LET’S START WITH THE FIRST GROUP OF ACTIVITIES WE CAN DO THAT INVOLVE YOU, _____, AND I, PAPYRUS, AND THIS ANNOYING DOG THAT LOVES TO FOLLOW ME.”

“Awesome, can’t wait-”

“THE FIRST ACTIVITY WE CAN DO IS TALK ABOUT THIS ANNOYING DOG. I ALWAYS HAVE THIS FEELING THAT HE REALLY LIKES ME... AND I KNOW WHY!!! IT’S BECAUSE I’M ALWAYS EMITTING A GOOD VIBE, AND THIS DOG KNOWS IT!!! DON’T WORRY, I WILL HELP YOU LEARN HOW TO BE SOMEBODY WHO CAN ALWAYS EMIT A GOOD VIBE, _____!”

“Can’t wait-”

You really couldn’t wait.


	11. Can You Believe I'm Wearing A Soul? Because I Can't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't think I'd get to Chapter 11 this quick... Woot! Throwing you guys chapters since it does start off slow. You're welcome.

“Hey, um, w-wake up… please.”

You turn, clinging on to what remains of the sheets on your bed. The voice kept nudging at you, but you refused to get up. Sleep was a necessity, and the past few days you barely received any due to shitty Sans waking you up too damn early. 

“Mmmmmm, sssssleep pleassssse,” you muffled out, your cheek squished against the warmth of your pillow. Alphys hesitated, unsure how to approach you in this condition. 

“N-no, you don’t understand, I w-want to show you something,” she whispers. You remain in bed, afraid of parting with the warmth of the blankets that took you hours to adjust to. Tossing and turning was no fun, and it took too long of repeating just those movements until you managed to find a position you enjoyed. To know you were getting up and possibly returning to fight with the bed once more wasn’t a nice thought.

“I will just… give me a few more… minutes.” Her claws poke at your cheeks, making you turn to face her. You endured the pokes, trying to fall back into a good slumber… but the pokes never left.

Your smile slowly twisted itself into an annoyed frown, your cheek puffing as an attempt to drive away her claw. It wasn’t working. 

You give up and groan, prompting her to halt her pokes. It took you a minute for your eyes to pry themselves open, the feeling of a small line of crust on their edges disgusting you. 

She was wearing a lab coat, her glasses smudged and unclean. Her expression was that of a worried friend, which was enough to make you sit up. “What’s with the worry? Don’t worry, the training wasn’t that hard on me last time. In fact, he thought I was good enough,” you yawn out, rubbing your eyes. 

“It’s n-not that, it’s, um, I w-want to show you something.” You raised an eyebrow, skeptical. It was the middle of the night, or you thought it was, and she wanted to show you something. “Is it o-okay if we go outside?”

“But it’s the middle of the night!” you whined, trying to clear your hair of any bad knots you may have made during your sleep. There was a dozen or so of them. “But well… I guess.”

“Oh… g-good! Come on then _____, we don’t have a lot of time,” she quickly said, rushing out of the room. You shot out of bed, not expecting her eagerness to leave the lab. The covers fell down, leaving your bed uncovered. Your left hand kept getting rid of knots in your hair while your right hand forced your closet door open. Seeing as you didn’t have too much time, you slide off a jacket off its hanger and rush out your room. 

You bounced off the walls, trying to regain your balance while your mind was still clouded from sleep. Alphys was nowhere to be found, but you swear you heard her saying that she would wait for you outside? Knowing this, you rushed outside, not caring for the racket and noise you were making while doing so. You’re sure you could have woken Sans up… if he even sleeps. Alphys had mentioned that he doesn’t have the need to go to sleep, but you’ve caught him taking naps. 

It was warm outside, which was expected when you were living in Hotland. The heat was one of the reasons you rarely left the laboratory, other than the fact that a lot of the inhabitants of the underground were not fond of humans to begin with. In addition, you were there when the laboratory had to be rebuilt after its original design was broken apart. The reasons behind its reconstruction were unknown to you, but like many aspects of both Sans and Alphys life, they refused to tell you about it. 

“R-ready?” she asked shyly, her feet facing each other as her tail curled around her.

You slightly jumped, her voice startling you. “A warning would have been nice Alphys, but um, yes.” She reached for the door that you had neglected to close, locking it in place. You were about to object to her locking the door, but you stopped when you imagined Sans solving the issue by simply teleporting his way out the laboratory.

“I k-know it’s late, b-but I thought it would be nice to… c-catch up on a lot of things,” she started, walking ahead of you to lead the way. “And I al-also hope you don’t mind that I already chose a pl-place in Waterfall for us to go to… it would be nice to chat t-there.”

“Of course! I don’t mind, beeeeest friend,” you nudged her, emphasizing the last two words. She blushed, covering her face with her tiny hands. One could tell she worked constantly from the way her hands refused to be spotless. Grease, dirt, and scratches dotted her hands, showing the hard worker she truly was. Her glasses contained small scratches that weren’t visible from afar, but up close they were noticeable. Her lab coat was clean however, which proved that she did take care of her hygiene to the best of her ability.

The walk from Hotland to Waterfall was a soothing one. No monsters interrupted your friendly chat, which was a common thing. The human who last fell into the underground before you was the very reason the monsters detested humans. Alphys and Sans didn’t seem to share this, but they were aware that they couldn’t make you public or else they would suffer consequences from the population. 

Well, except now you suppose. You’re out in public now.

You don’t remember the details very well, but Alphys has told you about how many of her people were murdered by the last human. No reason was given as to why, since she wasn’t there to witness the killer. Sans, on the other hand, was apparently in contact with them for a while. Alphys, again, refused to tell you more details. She said it was due to the lack of socialization they shared, but you’re fully aware she knew more than she claimed she did. At times you would eavesdrop on her conversations, which would sometimes consist of topics you thought she didn’t know about.

Time wasn’t something that your pocket watch kept track of, and you were starting to grow annoyed that you were unaware of the time. It didn’t matter down here, but back on the surface you were constantly checking the time to update yourself. To know you have grown used to the pocket watch and left the cell behind makes you sigh to yourself. Keeping the cell wouldn’t be a bad thing, especially since it could keep track of time. Then again you shouldn’t be whining about simple things that aren’t as necessary, like say, learning how to fight.

“Here w-we are!” she chirped, jogging over to a bench. The dark cavern you stood under was dimly lit by the echo flowers and glowing crystals. Traces of dirt and age could be seen on the bench, which had white paint that was already peeling off. Waterfalls could be heard from here, the sounds of moving water soothing to your ears. Breathtaking wouldn’t even begin to describe this scene, although you’ve definitely seen better in your travels. 

Alphys sat on the bench. “Love this place! Is it a favorite of yours?” You sit beside her, admiring the echo flower next to you. She nodded and poked at your pocket watch. 

“There’s s-something I need to t-tell you that you should know m-more about.” Her tone suddenly gets dark. You shift your body to face her, no longer gazing at the teal-gleaming flower beside you. “I heard a-about the magic you used d-during your last training.” 

“Yes, and it was weird. I’m guessing you’re going to explain it to me? Because I seriously have no idea how that could have been possible.” Her fingers fiddled about, her eyes looking down at the dark ground underneath.

“Remem-b-ber that belly chain I gave you as a gift? Are you still wearing it?”

“Yes. It’s hidden under my clothes, but I do wear it. It looks uncomfortable, but I already grew accustomed to it, so you don’t have to worry about it,” you uttered, showing her the belly chain that had been sticking to your skin. When you pried it off your skin, marks of its existence were left behind. 

“W-well you see…” Her claw pressed against one of the discolored gems on the chains, which puzzled you. When you glanced at her you noticed her eyes remained fixed on the chains, refusing to meet your gaze. The chains started to glow, forcing you to face back down to them. A faint yellow glow started to emanate from the gem she had pressed. It grew in intensity every passing second, making you gape at the revelation.

“It glows… yellow! How come I didn’t know this? This is pretty cool!”

“It’s m-my friend’s soul.”

Your hands immediately pulled the shirt back down, covering the chains. “A soul? Are you saying that yellow gem is a soul? Are you being serious?” you sternly expressed. To know you were wearing chains around your belly that contained a soul from one of her former friends made you feel uneasy. “I can’t wear this. I don’t feel right about this-”

She grew anxious, her glasses slowly sliding down. “P-please, I can explain-”

“I know it might be something you invented and can help me, but…” You let go of your shirt, standing up to face the flower. “I kind of wonder whose soul this was too. It’s a beautiful color,” you mumbled soon after, not wanting to get her in a terrible mood. 

“I-I’m sorry but… I d-didn’t want Sans to know about t-that… he thinks I h-have it hidden. It was a proot-totype for Undyne to use, but I d-didn’t want to give it to her…” she trailed off, her hands firmly hidden between her thighs. She looked nervous and withdrawn, unable to meet your gaze. “And you d-don’t have to feel bad. I know I m-messed up by having you wear that, but I felt like… you deserved it more. Undyne changed. She really d-did… and… I d-don’t know if I can live with that b-because I-”

You slide towards her, feeling guilty for having made her think about Undyne. “No, it’s okay, I know what you mean,” you whispered, embracing her. She didn’t hesitate in accepting your affection, sobbing on to your clothes. You made circles on her back with your fingers, trying to comfort her. “I apologize. I really do. I didn’t mean to bring this subject up… should have been more careful.”

You closed your eyes and let her release all her emotions out on to your clothes. By the time you had begun to feel the need to shed a few tears yourself, she began to speak up. “It’s n-not your fault,” she murmured, letting go. “It w-was my idea.” She regained her posture, wiping the tears while you held her glasses. “B-but d-don’t forget about me when you go on your travels, okay?” she suddenly switches the subject. You give her a sweet glance. 

“And why would I ever do that? You’re the first friend I ever made down here! One of the only ones I trust!” You give her another hug, this time attempting to carry her up. You failed. “Speaking of which, as my best friend, you should have really thought of adding your number, or I mean fingerprint and stuff, to my pocket watch. I will definitely be contacting you during my adventuring in these weird universes. Your knowledge will definitely be useful.”

Her eyes glowed with delight, her sleeves still wiping off the tear trails. “O-of course!” she stammered, fixing her glasses. “As soon as you g-go back to sleep, I’ll quickly get a h-hold of it and add me in!”

“Sound like a plan. A very good plan!” you chirp out, feeling at ease knowing she was out of the dumps once more. Last time she dwelled about her old lover… well, you managed to help her prevent a tragedy.

“B-but on to more s-serious matters... I need to tell you more ab-bout the belly chain.” You sit down beside her, partially lifting your shirt to reveal the belly chain underneath. “It’s the reason you c-could suddenly use magic… you’re m-mixing your magic with my friend’s magic. B-but I didn’t expect to see his m-magic influence yours to the point you could use it… I didn’t expect you to b-be using m-magic at all!” she expressed her opinion on the matter. You began to sort through your memories, stopping at that one moment during your training with Sans. It was a moment where you not only surprised your acquaintance, but also yourself. Now you had the answer to that startling event. 

“Thank god I know the answer to something.”

“I k-knew you had magic, b-but a lot of humans d-don’t know how to tap into it. So I truly believed you d-didn’t know how to tap into your own magic either… but it seems Mettaton’s magic helped you with that-”

“Mettaton?” you interrupted, perplexed. 

“Oh no. I didn’t mean to tell you that… it slipped out, uh-”

“Mettaton?!? As in, the star Mettaton?!? What is HIS soul doing in my belly chains?” It was difficult to process. This belly chain you were wearing was the key to your magical abilities that were beginning to bloom, but little did you expect that it was thanks to the soul of a magical television star from the underground. “Actually, no, answer that later. What I want to know is, why and how do you have his soul? I’m so confused I-”

“I can e-explain,” she insisted, her hands resting on your own. They were trembling. “Mettaton was a d-dear friend of mine… we were close… he was...” Her eyes started to water, her forced smile beginning to turn into a frown. Your chest clenched up seeing her mood plummet once more. “He was… everything t-to me. I couldn’t let him go a-away so easily… I had to do something. A-anything… and then one day, while getting to know you, I knew how.” She points at the yellow gem on your belly chain. It was no longer discolored. “Sans d-didn’t approve, but I really wanted to do this. I wanted to create something that could help you, not hurt you. So I did it in secret. I implemented Mettaton’s soul, o-or what I could re-recover, and sealed it into t-the c-chains.” She pauses to pull out a napkin, no longer wanting to user her sleeves as a means to wipe away tears. “At first I w-wanted it to be more of a g-good luck charm… but it isn’t very l-lucky, is it? Especially n-now that you know what happened to the o-original owner of the soul.”

“It’s okay with me,” you reveal, standing up. She followed you out of the caverns, now heading back to the laboratory. “I’ll take good care of him. Knowing you went out of your way to do this behind Sans’ back is good enough for me. You don’t need to go much deeper into the matter. Besides.” You turn around, giving her a genuine smile with tears streaming down your face. “I’ve never loved somebody as much as you. To hear you say all that was… deliberating? Not sure what the right word is. But, um, I’ll do whatever it takes to get us out of this messed up place. You won’t have to deal with Sans’ lectures or Undyne’s cruel behavior. We’ll be free.”

Alphys stopped in her tracks, returning the smile as she took in your words. “I’ll miss you, _____.”

You turn to face towards your destination, tired of walking backwards. “I’ll miss you too.”


	12. A MAN OF FIRE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments and kudos, it does really make me happy that this work gets attention despite how different it is when compared to other, well-known Sans x Reader fan fics. I wanted to deviate away from the norm and try something new... and yeah. 
> 
> Also, here we introduce the Outertale AU. Get ready folks, to space we go.

This was the day. 

It’s really happening. You’re about to use the pocket watch’s true purpose: for universe jumping. Oddly enough you were quite excited for this, since the past few months you’ve been cooped up in this laboratory. You’ve managed to travel throughout the underground enough times that you started to miss the surface’s scenery. 

But it’s different this time. You’re going to jump into universes that might possibly have completely different customs, environments, individuals, skeletons, rulers, friends, animals, and possibly humans. Maybe even different kinds of dogs. Dogs are the best.

“D-don’t forget to return when the gauge meter starts to reach the d-dangerous red levels. If it does, you’re g-going to have to contact us so w-we can get you,” she explained, rushing up to you. “A-and be c-careful… we might k-know a lot about the universe you’re going to, but we c-can’t be there every step of the w-way and… it makes me nervous thinking that… so, um, oh I’m such a mess-”

You fix her glasses and plant a finger on top of her lips. “Thank you, Alphys. I’ll keep in touch if possible… and Sans’ approval should be enough, right? He thinks I’m good enough to survive out there.” She didn’t look convinced, but that didn’t stop Sans from opening an artificial portal made by one of Alphys’ inventions. It was clear he was getting impatient. 

“she is busy, alphys. she needs to go now.” You glance at him with disappointment, not appreciating his impatience. “now,” he growled back at you, disliking your reaction. 

“I know I should have asked this much sooner… not sure why I didn’t, but here goes.” You take in a big breath, thinking of how to word your question. “Wheeeeeeeeeeere,” you exhaled, “will the watch drop me off in the universe?”

Alphys opened her mouth, but nothing came out. You awaited her response, but seeing her trying to find an answer horrified you. “Don’t tell me I’ll be dropped off god who knows where?” you blurt out, disturbed by the thought of being released into the universe at any place imaginable. You could be thrown into the sea or into a hungry den of monsters. What about seeing the clouds first, and plummeting to your potential death? These thoughts alone were enough to make you jolt over to Alphys. “You don’t know, do you???”

She panicked, trying to give you a fake smile as you held her hands for reassurance. “ah… I f-forgot to talk about t-that, didn’t I?”

“Hell yes you did!” you frantically replied, making her giggle. You flinched, not appreciating her humor. Sans appears to be humored as well. “Yes yes… humeruuuuuuuus, isn’t it?” you glared at Sans, who immediately showed disgust at your pun.

“D-don’t worry! I made s-sure to set the coordinates in safe places… b-but if not… you can s-set them yourself. W-when you come across a l-location you want to make y-your new entry and exit to and from t-that universe, then c-call me… I can help you with that,” she finally explains, calming your nerves. You let go of her hands, breathing out a sigh of relief. 

“With pleasure.” You turn to face the open portal, it’s iridescent colors reminding you of the horrors of the unknown that await. An uneasy feeling started to take over you.

A bony hand set itself on your shoulder, not aiding in your uneasiness. 

“when you return, report everything you’ve seen and witnessed.” You glance at him, not knowing how to respond. You’re not sure why he would want to hear all that, but you might as well, seeing as how you’re agreeing to be his guinea pig. 

“As in… everything?” you mumbled, meeting his gaze. He broke it rather quickly and abruptly, the slurry of colors in the portal gaining his attention. 

He doesn’t reply to your inquiry. 

Alphys takes over from here, walking to your side. “T-the first thing you d-do is turn the dial on the s-side of the watch so t-that the red heart is showing… j-just the read heart t-too… it would be bad if any other colored heart w-was there. They lead you to other univer-verses and… I t-think you know.” She gave you a look of concern, still harboring doubts of you adventure into the unknown. 

“Yes I do,” you grin, giving her a thumbs up for effort. “What do I do next?”

She stood there, pondering on the next words to use. Once her mind finally clicked she clasped her hands together. “Oh, uh… y-you walk through the p-portal. It w-will recognize which universe you want to go to using the heart that is d-displayed on the pocket w-watch,” she stutters during her instructions. You nod, clutching the watch in fear of what lies ahead. The portal’s glow wasn’t inviting, nor was the aspect of going to a new universe… but something inside you was thirsting for adventure. Something new to explore and discover. 

“Well, here goes nothing, right?” you say with trembling words, eyes that didn’t match what you were saying.

“B-be careful!” she shrieked out, unable to contain her tremendous worry and fear. You’re surprised you weren’t as afraid as she was. It should be the other way around. 

“No worries!” you show her the same grin from before. You didn’t want her to lay in bed with thoughts of you being close to death. “As soon as I land safely on the other side, and free from harm, I’ll contact you!” After uttering those words, you blinked and sheepishly smiled. They weren’t the most reassuring words, and her expression worsened as a result. “Trust me. I’ll be okay,” you try again.

“I s-sure hope so,” she quietly replied, facing the metallic floor beneath her feet. You glance over to where Sans last stood, but he was gone. Surely he didn’t leave out of annoyance, did he? More importantly, when did he leave? You’re surprised you were that unobservant. “Tell Sans bye for me. I guess he didn’t want to stay to see me leave. Too emotional for him.”

She lifts her head, her forced smile unable to mask how perturbed she was. “Y-yes, I will! B-but be careful please! Stay safe! D-don’t do anything t-that would hurt you, p-please… I’ll be here waiting,” she reaches for you, but stops midway, apprehensive of the situation.

“Of course!” you reply, giving her two thumbs up to show her how sure of yourself you are. In reality you are terrified to the core. You have no idea where you’re going to land. At least you have the correct color of the heart. Red is on the pocket watch, so it’s only a matter of passing through the portal. 

You two share a plethora of goodbyes before Sans appears once again, seemingly annoyed by how long you’re taking to walk through that portal. “i need you in the observatory, alphys.”

“Y-yes! I’ll be t-there!” Just as quick he arrived, he left. Alphys gave you a long hug before retreating, trembling from the worries that are revolving in her mind regarding your travels. You couldn’t help but begin to miss her already. 

“Damn Sans. Forcing me to go through this portal already.” You turn and stare at the portal, gulping. Last night you had been collecting everything you might need and stored it in the pocket watch’s storage box. Giving it a second glance reassured you of your safety, but to somebody else they would think you were getting ready to run a marathon. Bottles and bottles of water dotted the storage screen, only to be interrupted by the occasional medical remedy or food product. 

Your sugary pal, still in sugar land, had also helped you ease up earlier this morning. He planned with his brother a song just for you, and it was enough to make your heart melt. They were well aware of the dangers this adventure carries, and they cheered you up quicker than you expected. The song itself was beyond your expectations, making you laugh during every second of it. The best part of it was that you got to hear Sans and Papyrus sing for you, which was rare. 

It also made you feel weaker, knowing that they’re just as worried as Alphys for your safety.

“Okay… calm down. I have to do this…. And… I’mnotready,” you quickly stated, suddenly retreating back a few steps, the thought of jumping through the portal terrifying you. “N-no, I have to go. If I don’t… I’ll have Sans push me through himself. And I can’t have that happening to me. Not yet at least.” You wait a few minutes, mustering enough courage and bravery to face the portal.

And you were off. You closed your eyes and leaped through the portal. Disappointment soon set it when nothing different happened as you passed through the portal. It was just like going through one of Sans’ doors; a slight refreshing feeling on your body as you pass through the door, but nothing more.

Then again you used the exact same portal to go to sugarSans, and the months of visits got you accustomed to the portal.

When you thought you were well past the portal, after having walked a few steps after landing on your feet, you opened your eyes. 

In front of you stood a tall gentleman against a snowy landscape, his white dress shirt under a blue and yellow-striped vest being the very first thing you see in this first universe. This makes you feel drastically short, your eyes the height of the yellow bow just underneath his flaming neck.

Flaming body. His body was made out of colorful flames.

Your eyes widen, not having expected visiting an inhabitant right off the bat. “Oh… OH! D-did you see me jump through that portal?!?! OH WAIT… I wasn’t supposed to say that, um-ah, er.” You were a mess with your words, jumbling them as you tried to make out a coherent sentence. The monster in front of you bent down far enough to meet your gaze. “I um… sorry sir. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you or anything… hahaha uh…” You twist your body around and begin speed walking the other direction, your face facing sideways in order to keep a good watch for the monster covered in flames. “I gotta leave I gotta go-OOF!”

A tree blocked your way, making your attempt to escape a failure and your body fall down.

“…oooouuuuuch,” you cried out, holding on to your bleeding nose. This wasn’t the outcome you expected when you first arrived. Seeing a tall humanoid monster was also not what you expected, and it made you grow disturbed.

“Are you alright, madam?” a voice interrupted your troubled thoughts. You balance yourself up to your feet, blocking your bleeding nose from anyone’s sight using your sleeves. 

“…yes.”

“Allow me,” he softly mumbled, rummaging through his pockets. You face him, flushed and embarrassed. After a few seconds of throwing lint out of his pockets, he came across a few blue tissues. “Here. This may be of help to you miss.”

“Oh um, t-thank you,” you choked out, surprised by his kindness. It was unusual to be treated with such kindness by another monster. Then again you’re not in your universe. Perhaps humans weren’t as hated here as you imagined? This wasn’t so bad after all.

You accepted the tissues, quickly turning around to avoid him seeing you wipe your blood. Guilt started to overwhelm you, seeing as how you were making a fool of yourself to this new universe. Instead of exploring where the portal had left you and finding a new place to set it, you were wiping the blood off of your nose with blue tissues a nice gentleman had given you. A flaming gentleman, at that.

Blood was smeared throughout the tissues, making you feel helpless seeing how a mere tree could make you bleed.

“Thank you, again, for helping me. I didn’t mean to be rude,” you murmur, returning the tissues. Before he could accept them, you quickly regret your decision and retreat your hands. “W-wait, do you really want these back? Oh I shouldn’t have even shown you these, they’re smothered with my bad blood. Um, uh, I can get you more tissues? Will that be okay?”

He stood there, his glasses being the only source you could use when it came to his line of vision. The flames he was engulfed by reminded you of the beautiful pictures of the galaxy that scientists loved to reveal. While you were aware that space was beautiful, most of the time they exaggerated with the colors and gave false depictions of what really is out there in the final frontier.

After a few seconds, he let out a small chuckle, making you blush from embarrassment. “You are definitely amusing, and keep the tissues. I have many more at my disposal.” Your hands crumple the tissues, trying to help you relieve the stress you were experiencing. “Is there anything I can be of help with?” he asks, kneeling down in front of you. At first you were confused to his position, but seeing him face the injuries in your arms answered your question. Somehow, without burning your flesh, he gingerly patted the blood smeared down your hands with more of his tissues.

“Oh no, don’t I-” 

You step back, feeling overwhelming shame. “I already feel bad enough with you giving me tissues and your kindness. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine! I just um… well, it’s hard to explain.” Nothing came to mind that could explain your condition. Lying wasn’t your strong suit, much less thinking of a reason for this man not to worry for your safety. From the short time he’s spent with you, all you’ve been able to prove was your clumsiness and fragile personality. 

“Forgive me. I must have come off as rude for not introducing myself earlier.” Surely he was joking. He was being dramatically nice and sincere, and here you were, introductions being the last thing on your mind. “Allow me to introduce myself,” he begins, standing up and regaining his elegant posture. “My name is Grillby. You may have heard my name spoken various times by word of mouth, or simply due to the fact that I run the local bar.” His velvet voice carried with it a sophisticated tone.

“The local bar?” you inquired, imagining your common run-down bar with singles of all ages and the brokenhearted weeping in their corners.

“Why, yes, we have a local bar here in Snowdin. By chance are you a traveler? A tourist?”

You didn’t know what to say in response. You were none of those things, but you couldn’t tell him you were from a different universe tasked with exploring. Then again, you could tell him and see him easily not believe any of it. 

“Actually… I’m lost.” It’s the best you could come up with. That you’re lost. “Is it common for humans to get lost here?” That sounded really stupid.

“It is a rare occurrence, yes, but not unheard of. While as a civilian I am tasked with the duty of sending you to the queen-” he stops mid-sentence, his hands wiping off the blood still present on your right cheek, making you feel uncomfortable. “-you have proven that you are of no threat. There is no need to send you to the queen… quite frankly, it is difficult to picture you as anything but innocent.” You stood there in awe, a stranger defending you and already believing you were worthy of being saved. It’s only been a few minutes.

“I’m sorry to be a bother… um.” You try to take a good look at the area you’re in, hoping to find the inspiration to think of anything to deter him away from feeling obligated to keep you safe. Although, the thought itself seems promising, seeing as how you need to somehow stay safe to learn more about this universe. 

Unfortunately, there was nothing in the environment that got your mind running. “Um… again, sorry for wasting your time. I’m just nervous and don’t know what to say,” your voice turns into that of a nervous mess, clearly indicating you don’t know what you’re doing. 

“I can be of help, if you allow me. I insist,” he urged, extending his hand towards you. Both of your hands were behind your back, not wanting to budge from their positions. If you accepted his help, you would easily grow attached and feel the need to return to this universe often. You can imagine it now… becoming clingy and friendly to this gentleman. From what you’ve seen alone, you can already tell he’ll be an amazing friend. The last thing you want to do is befriend him and later betray him with your true intentions.

Once you were done with your task here, you were going to leave forever. That alone made you grow unhappy. 

His hand was still extended, awaiting your response. While you wanted to accept his offer, you knew that you were weak at heart. You didn’t want to grow attached or become too close. 

But if you didn’t accept, you wouldn’t know where to start or where to begin in this universe.

“I... I wouldn’t know how to thank you though,” you voiced out your thoughts, inspecting his glasses. While his face was entirely made of fire, the mesmerizing colors and specs of white that appeared like stars were enough for you to gaze at him with wonder.

“I will accept nothing but your patience and compassion. There is nothing to fear, I beg of you. I have lived long enough to have seen what happens to children who wander alone long enough. I am only looking out for your safety.” 

You accept his offer, your hand extending to accept his.


	13. Space Is Love, Space Is Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About time we get to a different AU, right? 
> 
> The story is starting to finally move forward, which I'm glad for, since the first few chapters were simply preparing for the bigger twists ahead. Prepare to be amazed... eventually. Eventually.

Dreaming wasn’t something you’re used to, especially since most of the time it’s about scenarios you immediately forget upon waking up. One time you recall turning into a dog while running through a garbage dump. Wings sprouted from your back painlessly, allowing you to fly out into the blue sky. 

That sounded like a weird ass dream. But probably not as weird as sitting inside a colorful bar called Grillby’s, on the counter with the high chairs. 

What you were seeing reminded you of dreams, however, which is going to be a common thing in this universe. Apparently it’s galaxy-themed. And you loved it. It reminded you of your youth, when your parents deterred you from entering the astronomy career since you didn’t stand a chance. Space always interested you, especially its beauty and sense of knowing that you’re not alone. While you did feel small compared to other celestial bodies, you always wished to be able to have a job relating to this beautiful career.

“Burger for two please!” sung a pastel pink rabbit. Her short hair bounced, mimicking her ecstatic personality. You smiled from the other side of the counter by Grillby, who nodded at the young rabbit woman. The idea that humans aren’t as disliked in this universe is still hard to process, since you’re still nervous around monsters. It’s common for you to flinch when Grillby or any other motions at you. 

“Um, hello!” you murmur to the client, making her grin from ear to ear. Her dark blue strapless dress mimicked the night sky, which to them was very common here. Grillby had explained to you, on your way to the bar, that this was nothing new to them. Similar to how you didn’t think anything on Earth was… well, weird, the same applied to these people. Living out in the cosmos was… something they grew up in. It was an ordinary day, an ordinary week. It was all ordinary, but not for you. You still take in the view and mutter how you wish you could have grown here.

“You’re so adorable!” she squealed, inching closer to you. “I guess it’s a thing humans have? Last time we had a human pass by, their face just melted my heart!”

“I’m glad you think that,” you blush, covering most of your face with your oversized sleeves. The pullover belonged to Grillby, who gave it to you after your own got bled on. It was ridiculous how big this pullover was on you, bigger than the one you were wearing not too long ago, but that’s all Grillby had lying around. He must have had a child or relative your age, and your size as well, in order to have something that fit you. It was dark blue in color, as is almost everything in this universe, with bright yellow being the color for the fluffy turtleneck and small cuffs. It was long enough that it stopped halfway down your thighs. 

When it came to what to wear, pants or skirt, you decided to go with what fit you best. The only pants Grillby could offer for you kept falling down, so you didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. The cute yellow skirt would be the one for you, along with some cute blue slippers that Grillbys doesn’t use anymore.

“Not to mention that oversized sweater, it’s just adorable! What’s with you humans and cuteness? I’m going to have to start finding somebody who can put one in the acting career, hahaha,” she joked, her ears folding down over her hair. “No seriously, cutie pie, do you mind getting into the acting career?”

You couldn’t respond in time before Grillby appeared with her order. Her mind appears to quickly change gears when she starts eating, no longer focusing on you. The man in flames leaned on to the counter, his arms close to you.

“So um, I’m sorry for using these clothes… I should buy my own so you can get these back. Maybe you’ll need to use them again?” you suggested, tugging at the loose fibers that stuck out from your cuffs. 

“Keep it as a souvenir from Snowdin, and I, alike. It will help you keep warm while I wash your clothes.” You puffed your cheeks, trying to show your discontent with his response. This only made him chuckle as he walked away to attend to another customer. 

Back when you first entered the bar, you stood there for a good few minutes to take the beauty in. The tables were space-themed, containing swirls that reminded you of the milky way galaxy. Just like the gleaming floor, the walls contained glowing gems that acted as a light source for the bar. You didn’t know why, since most of the items in the bar itself already provide some sort of light. Drinks glowed with intensity, colors of all kinds being able to be seen from behind the counter Grillby worked at. 

You could ramble on about the beauty of the bar and the obvious feeling of living in a galaxy that it gave off. It was new for you, although you’re sure it was just a regular bar for the inhabitants. The thought made you smirk. Nobody back at home will get to experience this sensation that you are now.

“hey bud, how’s it goin?”

You were snapped out of your thoughts, making you turn with delight, only to be disappointed when you see that the skeleton was not your sugary pal. It was Sans, but not the Sans you were good friends, no. It was the one from this universe. To know you might befriend this version is oddly satisfying. Does this one share the same traits as your sugary pal?

“Hello, it has been a while my friend,” Grillby responded, picking up the next clear glass to wipe with his colored towels. Sans sat on the stool closest to his fiery comrade, his pupils widening at the sight of you. He seems to be surprised to see you in the vicinity. “Ah, yes, let me introduce you to this fine young woman I stumbled upon.” Your hearts begin to race, not knowing how to react or say or do. Alphys and Sans’ words echo in your mind, reminding you to try not to get too clingy to the other versions you meet.

“Oh! Um, hello,” you begin to say, timid. “It’s a pleasure to meet you!” you bow, trying to show your manners to the stranger that seems awfully familiar to you. Grillby himself had suggested this, curious to know how others would react. 

While the skeleton may look similar and act similar, you have to remind yourself he’s not the same Sans you know from the other universes. Fortunately, you know he’s not going to be the same as the one from your own universe, you’re sure of that. And you’re relieved by that notion.

“heheh, those are some nice manners you got there, kid. ‘cause you don’t see them often here.” He grins, shuffling his body weight to face you. “i s’pose you’re lost? humans don’t really visit us often here in galaxy gala.”

Grillby pats your shoulder before he left to attend to other matters. You’re already getting attached to the space flame, which makes you feel dismal knowing that you’re failing to detach yourself from your feelings.

“Well, it’s a long story,” you begin, situating yourself on the soft stool you were in. “But um… um.” You stop to think back at what you’ve told Grillby. The last you want is to give him a different story that contradicted with what you’ve told to another. “I got lost. Traveling on my own and… I guess I found myself here. Although, to be quite honest, I’m already starting to like it here.” You glance at the bar’s clients, each with their own backstories and dilemmas that brought them together in this small area.

“huh, lost? that’s too bad. hope you get back home safely kid,” he responded with a cheerless tone. When Grillby returned, he quickly called for him. “i’ll take whatever she’s havin’.” You quickly glance at Grillby, shaking your head in protest.

“No, it’s okay! I’m not hungry! I don’t have money either, so I can’t pay if I do want to eat. You should eat without me… but thank you for the offer.” It wasn’t until now that you notice the music playing in the background. It wasn’t anything like you’ve heard, guitar licks being what you notice the most.

“nah. it’s on me. come on, burger or fries?” he insisted, making you switch glances between Grillby and Sans. Your fiery friend nods, agreeing with his comrade’s offer. You take this as a reason to accept the kind offering of free food. 

“Well alright, then I’ll have fries,” you say, hands between your thighs as you give them a sheepish smile.

“that’s the spirit,” he let out a small laugh, checking the television to see what’s airing at the moment. While his attention was focused away from you, you take the opportunity to check your pocket watch. It was nowhere near the dangerous levels in the gauge, easing some stress from your back. There were no messages either, which made you eager to reveal your discovery to your friends. 

Before you could, the space skeleton caught your attention with his tapping. “mind answerin’ some quick questions?” You nodded, putting your watch away in the pockets your skirt happens to conveniently have. “don’t mean to come off as weird to you. stranger asking you questions is probably new to you, but it’s ‘cause I want to make sure of myself on some things i got goin’ on in my mind.” 

“I’m okay with that,” you replied, bashful. He leans over the counter, trying to get rid of some distance between the two of you.

“mind taking a walk outside with me? don’t want anyone listenin’ to what i have to say.” You quickly looked down, reluctant to join him in his stroll. It didn’t sound like it would be a nice stroll, but one of interrogation. While you didn’t mind it, you were afraid of what kind of questions he desperately wants to ask.

“Um, well, I guess yeah. As long as it’s not too long, okay? I don’t want to worry Grillby,” you add in, giving you a reason to return back and not spend too much time with Sans. The skeleton nods, his white pupils scanning for any signs of Grillby. 

“Leaving so soon my friend?” Grillby asked, handing you the fries that looked awfully delicious. Your stomach growled at the sight, making you realize you hadn’t eaten in what felt like hours. “Mind if I ask what for?” You indulge in the greasy sticks of goodness, piling fry after fry into your small mouth.

“nothin’ much really. takin’ our new guest here out for a float. introducing her to the town and all, the usual.” Both men glance at you, amused. It takes you a moment to notice this, making you turn away, mortified they saw you plunge fries into your mouth.

“Then I ask for you to take good care of her. She’s quite the delicate young flower,” he remarked, giving you a free tissue to clean your mouth with afterwards. With a sheepish smile, you accept and eat what is left of the fries. “Please do take your time, and worry not of my friend here,” he switches his attention to you, making you look at him with a mouthful of fries. Sans snickered, finding your current state humorous. “He is a close friend of mine, and I trust him enough to take care of you.”

The fries refused to let you respond back. Your hands forced the fries into your mouth, followed by a few seconds of determined chewing. Once you were done and the fries down your throat, you give a grin to Grillby. “It’s okay, I won’t be gone long. But um, thank you for the fries. And thank you Sans, for paying.”

They gave you startled expressions, making you feel as if you had said something that offended them. Then it hit you. Sans never introduced himself to you, nor did Grillby introduce him. 

You definitely messed up this time.

“Oh, if you’re wondering how I know, um, well.” You mentally panic, glancing around the bar to think of a solution. “While I did get lost here, I do pay attention to what people say. I know that you’re well known around these parts, hahaha,” you anxiously explained. It was enough to return them to their neutral expressions.

“heh, can’t help it. i’m a sansation,” he joked, making you giggle. Grillby placed his hand firmly on your shoulder, grabbing your attention. This made you feel safer somehow, you can’t place your finger on why though.

“I will be attending the bar if you ever need of my aid.”

“Yes, and thank you!” you say in response, nodding at his offer. “I don’t know how to repay you for your kindness,” you then pout, feeling guilty for not having given him anything in return. He ruffles your hair in response.

“As I have told you once before, all I asked for was your patience and compassion. That is all I requested.” With that having been said, he continued with his job. A blush was covering your cheeks, making you feel like a child as you take in the kind words he’s returning to you. Sans appears to enjoy your reactions, his cheek leaning on his bony hand.

“come on kid, we have stars to catch up with.” You followed him out of the bar, hungrily staring at the fries he was holding. Ketchup was smeared by the plentiful on top of them, which was something you had forgotten to do to your own fries. “still hungry?”

You glanced away, shaking your head in protest. “come on, you know you want some, don’t ya?” With a hesitant hand, you grab the smallest fry you could reach. He smirks, pulling out a bottle of ketchup. “keep the rest. don’t want ‘em.”

“You don’t?” you called his statement into question, surprised. 

“yup. don’t worry ‘bout me. this ketchup bottle hits me in the right spot. keep the fries.” He began to open the bottle, seductively eyeing its contents. Not wanting to be caught staring, you quickly reach for the fries. While he gulped down the condiment, you indulged in the greasy goodness without limits. 

By the time the two of you were done, you had reached the edge. This caught you off guard, not knowing there was such a thing as an “edge of the town.” Literally. There was no more ground, but space. 

You were standing on a floating island in the middle of space. 

“starstruck? guess you aren’t used to space yet, hm?” he questioned, walking off the edge. You gasped, reaching for his yellow sleeves to prevent him from falling down into the void. With just the right amount of force, you forced him out of space and back into land, but you lost your balance in the process. He stood over you, leaning down to smugly look at you with his white pupils. “can’t wait to get to know ya better kiddo,” he breathed out, laughing afterwards at your actions. 

You stood up, confused by his amusement. “B-but you were about to fall! I didn’t want you to fall! That’s why I pulled you back on to land a-and, we’re still alive so it’s okay, right? Right?” you erratically said, terrified of falling off to the void beyond. He responded with yet another minute of laughter. “Was it something I said?” you shamefully asked, feeling self-conscious. His body fell to the ground, curling in a fit of laughter. “Um… um, are you okay?”

After the last few tears of laughter were shed from his skull, he stood back up to face you. You stood on your tip toes, realizing you were a few inches taller than him. However, before he could respond to your hurried questions, he began to snicker. “i dunno what to say, you’re a riot. wish i knew your name too,” he admitted. “but-” he stopped to look away, not wanting you to see him trying to contain his laughter. “uh, i gotta teach you the basics of this place after i ask you my questions.”

He didn’t wait for you to respond before he stepped out of the ledge, making you gasp, yet again, from shock and horror. Like before, you repeated the same events and seized the closest arm. “W-wait! Stop doing that, you’re going to fall!” you blurted out, trying to pull him back to you. He burst from laughter, pulling you towards him instead. “W-wait, no what are you doing!?” you cried out, horrified. You held on to his arm forcibly, your eyes shut, as he finally stepped off the ledge with you clinging on.

You didn’t feel like you were falling, but as if you were floating, as you would when you submerge in water. Startled, you peek out into the area beneath you, only to yelp from horror. You weren’t falling, but you weren’t standing on land either. 

“oh my god, you are just too much.” He lets go of you, smirking as he enjoys your terrified reaction of being left to float free. You trashed about, not knowing what to do while suspended in the emptiness of space. When your eyes meet, you notice that he was enjoying your arm flailing and expressions.

“I uh,” you begin, trying to calm down. You’re floating in space and you just made a fool of yourself in front of this nice skeleton. To him it appears to be like a stroll in the park, while for you, well, you made it appear as if you were falling to your death. “I’m… not used to this.”

“i couldn’t notice over your cheerful dancing,” he gleefully stated, your face reddening as a result. “nah, don’t sweat it kid. just teasin’ ya.” 

Your fear starts to turn into that of wonder as you take a good look around you. Snowdin was feet away from you, floating gracefully. You and Sans, on the other hand, were slowly floating away from it. “I can get used to this,” you admit, sounding much less terrified than you did last time. “So… how do you float around?”

“know how to swim?”

“I um,” you look away in shame. “No. I can’t swim.”

“no worries, i’ll teach ya how to float. it’s easy.”


	14. You Remind Of Somebody I Used To Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for another morning! It's slowed down to one chapter a day due to summer classes in college about to begin. 
> 
> I assure you I'll return to being sporadic and putting up some unknown number of chapters eventually.

Water was something you enjoyed drinking and taking a shower under, yet you also feared drowning. This is thanks to the fact that you can’t swim. You never had the need to back at the surface since you didn’t live near a body of water. Yes, you were told it would be helpful, but you never stopped to give it a second thought. 

You just learned how to float, but it wasn’t the same as swimming. Or was it?

“there you go. just like a pro, bud.” He was proud of you with a twinkle in his eye sockets.

“Thanks! Didn’t think I’d be learning how to float any time soon,” you smiled, taking in the stunning view of the stars and sparkles around you. “And um, I’m sorry if I didn’t really tell you my name or anything yet.” You decided to bring it up, seeing as how you didn’t want to continue interacting with somebody who didn’t know your name. Another reason was because you’re sure Grillby wouldn’t be proud to hear that you never gave his good friend your name.

Oh look at you, already worrying about what Grillby thinks of you.

“name is sans, but uh… you already knew that, huh?” he replied, floating gracefully beside you. He joined you in admiring the stars, yet he didn’t have the same wonder in his eyes as you did. Probably because he sees it every day and he is now accustomed to this setting, unlike you.

“Yeah, I did.”

Silence began to set in, which didn’t bother you one bit. You could float there and stare at the beautiful environment around you all day. Heck, you could pull out a journal and start to write down your feelings and sketches of what you see. Hours of endless fun and pondering, mesmerized by the cosmos surrounding you.

“so uh, anyway. i didn’t pull you out here to teach you how to do the basics,” he interrupts your train of thought. “i was curious about somethin’. no. a lot of things.”

The yearning thoughts you were having disappear, your focus now on Sans. “It’s okay, I don’t mind answering a lot of questions.” You make yourself do a flip, followed by a few seconds of squealing from how amazing it was to be floating and twirling in space. Seeing this made the skeleton look sorrowful. You stop yourself from proceeding in your silly antics, guilty of not taking him seriously. “Sorry, I can stop. I should be taking this seriously-”

“nah. just reminded me of something is all.” He takes a good look at his light blue flippers before he makes eye contact with you again, his eyes filled with a strong sense of confidence. “you wanna return home, ain’t that right?”

The feeling of wonder left you, leaving you with that of panic. Lying appears to be something you’re going to have to get used to, since you don’t know how to reply to his question. You were lost, but saying that meant you definitely needed to be returned to some place, yes? This plan hasn’t been thought through, and you’re starting to realize this. What could you say? You have no sense of direction nor do you know where anything is in this universe. You also don’t want to say that you know-wait. An idea just popped into mind.

You still have yet to call Alphys and ask about setting a new location for the portal of entry and exit to and from this universe. That’s your ticket out of this problem.

“Yes, and I know where it is! The problem is, I’m not sure how to get there from where I am at. I believe it’s close by, and it’s silly to ask, but… eventually I’ll ask for directions.” 

He grins, scratching the side of his head. “oh, heheh. was thinkin’ you needed to get through our barrier and return to your home far off into the stars.” His tone seemed to grow softer, more at ease knowing you won’t bring him too much trouble. You were hoping you were right about that.

“By Waterfall. That’s where I have to go. Just need somebody to show me the way from here to Waterfall… that way I can come back and visit here any time I want,” you add, hinting that you two will meet up again in the near future. His pupils quickly examined you, somewhat surprised by your comment. 

“hey, since when have you been livin’ so near? first time i’ve seen your face around these parts,” he questioned, making your expression change into that of panic once again. “sorry if it’s uh, personal.” He hid his hands in his jacket’s pockets, gazing intently at you.

“No, it’s not! Just that, well, I don’t leave my place that often. First time I ever wandered too far, and well, here I am. Lost and unable to return home. But know that I know I have you and Grillby to talk to and visit, I will definitely remember my way back and forth. I promise!” You made yourself believe it. You had to. It’s a shame you’re already getting attached to these individuals.

“not a fan of makin’ promises, but i don’t mind hearing that one,” he murmured, grinning weakly. He began to float towards the edge of land, indicating that the conversation may be close to being over. You soon follow him, albeit reluctantly. 

In the distance you can see a figure approaching. It’s a rather familiar one, a tall skeleton. It’s Papyrus! Or at least, the Papyrus from this universe. You’re going to have to start from square one with this one too. His outfit was similar to everybody else’s in this universe: galaxy themed with dark blue hues and yellow details. It contrasted greatly with the lively pastel colors from the sugar land you used to visit months on end. 

“OH MY GOD SANS, YOU LAZYBONES. YOU FORGOT TO TELL OUR QUEEN ABOUT OUR PROGRESS IN-” he made an abrupt stop when his eyes landed on you. Sans walked up to his brother, who was gaping at the sight of you. “IS THAT… A HUMAN?!? SANS!?!”

“no.”

“If it’s okay, um,” you begin to mumble loudly, approaching the brothers. “I would like to introduce myself. My name is _____. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” you quickly made your introduction, always nervous when meeting new faces. You bow immediately after, making the taller skeleton gasp. This would be a reaction Grillby would enjoy to hear about. 

“SUCH MANNERS.”

“best of the best.”

“YOU MUST BE HONORED TO MEET THE GREAT LIKES OF I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARDS!!!” he excitedly announced to you, making you straighten up. Never did you realize that Papyrus could ever reach the Royal Guards, and it was definitely a surprise. “FEAR NOT, I WILL REMEMBER THE RESPECT YOU HAVE FOR ME.”

“hey, bro-”

“YOU MUST HAVE ALREADY HAD MET MY BROTHER SANS!!! I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY BAD PUNS OR SPACE SHENANIGANS HE MUST HAVE PULLED ON YOU _____. I WILL MAKE IT UP TO YOU!!! BUT FIRST!!!” He pulls out a small card from his pocket, quickly scanning it. “IT APPEARS I WILL BE FREE THIS AFTERNOON. I APOLOGIZE AGAIN. I KNOW YOU WANT TO SPEND EVERY SINGLE SECOND WITH THE GREAT PAPYRUS, BUT I NEED TO TEND TO THE GARDEN OF OUR ROYAL CASTLE.” 

“he loves the yellow flowers,” Sans adds. 

“FAREWELL, AND I HOPE WE MEET AGAIN. THIS AFTERNOON. IN MY HOUSE. NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!” He makes his leave, but only to stop, turn, and return a few minutes later. You found this very amusing, your hands covering your mouth to prevent your snickering from showing. “DO NOT BE LATE HUMAN OR YOUR SPAGHETTI WILL GET COLD.”

“I won’t be late!” you hollered out, hoping he heard you. He was now gone, leaving you with Sans. 

After a few minutes of silence, he shrugged and continued to lead the way to the bar, checking up on you once in a while. “So um, what time is it?” you ask. The watch would have come in handy right now. 

“not afternoon,” he replied, making you puff out your cheeks in protest. “heh, actually i dunno. i don’t really check up on the time much.”

You watch your feet leave tracks on the snow, the breaths that turn into white clouds in front of you, the yellow and blue jacket Sans is wearing, and many other things. Ever since you set foot in this universe your eyes were unable to be focused on one thing at once. There’s just so much to see and so little time. Little by little you’re beginning to forget your true purpose here, only to be reminded of it by smaller details such as the vibrating buzzing of your pocket watch and the thought of your sugary pals. 

You’re thinking you should rename your sugary pals as sugarSans and sugarPapyrus. Later down the road it’s going to be much easier on you, especially when you’re meeting so many different versions of them throughout these universes. 

Sans swivels around and begins to walk backwards, whistling to a tune playing in his thick skull of his. You try to whistle, but fail miserably. All you could muster were raspberries and spit. “hey, ain’t Grillby pretty cool? askin’ since you seem pretty important to him.”

“Just met him today actually. He’s the one who found me and gave me these change of clothes and all. If it wasn’t for him then I’m not sure if I could have met such an awesome skeleton like you,” you compliment him, making him grin sheepishly. 

“heh, yeah. glad to hear kiddo.” He turns around once you’ve reached the bar, greeting the monster standing by the door. “’sup? everythin’ cool in there?”

“Yo Sans! Nice to see your face again. When will you return to MTT Resort??? We’re trying to find a comedian to match up to your skills man.” The white polar bear was wearing a two-piece black suit topped with a black top hat. He was towering over you, making you feel minute. “Oh, found yourself a nice gal, didn’t you? Didn’t think your type were humans, my brother!” he rejoiced, nudging your shoulder with his elbow. 

“just a pal of grillbys. makin’ sure she doesn’t get lost,” he winked at you, making you hide your face behind your oversized pullover sleeves. The polar bear bellowed out cheerily in response, opening the door for the two of you. 

“Can’t keep the boss waiting, now can I? Now squedaddle back in.” You thanked the bear as Sans walked on in, trying to hide your heated face. Unfortunately, the heat never left as you walked through the bar. You could feel the eyes of the clients staring at you and Sans, but you didn’t bother to meet any of their gazes. Instead you made sure to look straight ahead at your friend’s back skull, hoping you wouldn’t do anything embarrassing. 

“come on, i don’t bite.” His canines could be seen, reminding you of the Sans in your own universe. This didn’t seem to bother you as much coming from this version, but it still left you with an uneasy feeling. 

You managed to rid of this sentiment by focusing on Grillby instead, who was approaching you from the other side of the counter. “got her back here. safe and sound like you asked for,” he reassured his friend, his arm extending towards you to show his proof. 

“I offer you my gratitude Sans. At last I can be relieved to see no harm has been done to her,” Grillby expressed himself, scanning you for any notable marks. You spread out your arms to prove that you’re in tip top shape, making him chuckle.

“guess you’re gonna take her back home soon? her place is at waterfall.”

Grillby nods, sitting on the stool you had been using earlier during the day. “Once she wishes to be taken back, I will assist her. No need to fret about it my friend.”

“just double-checkin’ to make sure s’all,” he drawled, placing his skeletal hands back into his jacket. “but i’m gonna get going. paps going to need some help watering the flowers.” You disapprove of his farewell, having enjoyed his company. Noticing this, he extends one of his hands to you for a farewell shake. “tell Grillby to hit me up when you wanna chat again some time, ok? but you gotta put up with these bad puns i got in store for ya’. you know, gotta hit that funny bone some time, right?”

“Yes, of course! I will!” you shake his hand without hesitation, your eyes sparkling with hope and excitement. He’s the first to let go of your hand, strolling his way through the bar. The other clients appear to know him well as they stop him to start a small chat. 

“_____.” You spin around to face Grillby, grinning from ear to ear and with your eyebrows raised. “Do not hesitate to inform me of when you would prefer to return back home. I am capable of escorting you back home at any time during the day, may it be dawn or dusk.” He breaks eye contact with you in order to clean the counter in front of him, which was already spotless to begin with. You’re beginning to think that he simply likes to keep his hand busy, since you catch him repeating movements and tasks he has already done minutes before. 

“Um, well, let me check.” The gauge on your pocket watch has barely moved an inch, indicating that a you could last in a universe for a lot longer than you originally thought. This makes you feel merry as you think of the moments you’ll spend with Grillby and the rest of the inhabitants. You’ll also want to tell sugarSans about your first day spent in galaxy land. “Not for a good while… oh, wait, I don’t want to take your time and space and ask for a place to stay. I can return home before night time if you want. Uh-” you stop, rethinking your words. “I’m old enough to be on my own, obviously. I mean I’m a young adult, and I know I may not look like I’m that old-actually, I don’t think monsters really care about age, do they? Anyway! I, um, er, well, I wanted to say that if it’s okay to stay at your place before I return home? If not that’s okay! Then I will gladly go find someplace else to-”

“It would be a pleasure to have you settle down for today in my house,” he interrupts you with the feeling of his hand messing up your hair. “While I am not accustomed to receiving any guests, I will gladly make an exception for you.” He folds the towel he was holding and stores it with the others hidden in a cabinet underneath the counter. “But I must warn you, I am not the most gifted cook. Flaws are plenty with me, and cooking is among them.”

“That is fiiiiine by me,” you say to remove the doubts from him. “I can only cook basic stuff like eggs and macaroni and water and ramen and and… other stuff. So anything is fine, even if it’s just some burnt bread with butter spread over it,” you began to joke near the end, not really fond of burnt bread with butter smeared over it. 

You go through your watch’s storage when Grillby wasn’t looking and snatch yourself some water to quench your thirst. While you take tiny sips of water you peek through the bottle’s contents and look at the diversity filling the bar’s stools and chairs.

Some of them were dogs, and you thought that was adorable.


	15. Flame Bonding Time, Heck Yeah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Mother's Day! (In the U.S. of course.) Without you mums out there, we daughters and sons wouldn't be here.
> 
> No literally, we wouldn't. 
> 
> But again, Happy Mother's Day!

Spending time with Grillby was something you don’t mind doing, especially when that time is spent learning how to attend to customers for him. After a good few times of failures with the customers and trying to communicate with a lot of them, you decided you wanted to do most of the cleaning instead. It wasn’t too bad cleaning glowing glasses and food stains from dishes. Cleaning dishes and the kitchen was something you’re used to. You were prepared for it since you were a child. That’s why you managed to surprise Grillby by how efficient it was to have you cleaning everything while he did the rest of the work. 

Names were thrown at you that came with different faces and monsters to memorize. Your memory was good, but not the best, so you could only recall a few by the time the bar had closed. The lights had to go off and you were left wondering what you should do next. Calling sugarSans was still an option, as was checking in with Alphys to tell her you happen to have a lot of free time according to the almost-full gauge. 

Grillby locked the doors, making sure everything was presentable for tomorrow. You did the same, checking for any dishes you two may have forgotten or any small spills that your eyes could catch with a quick scan. It was clean as a whistle could be.

“Are you certain that you wish to spend a night away from home? Does that not bother you or make you feel nostalgic in a sense?” he asked, cleaning off a smudge he found on the door’s crystal glass. 

“Not at all! In fact, I can do a lot of chores if that helps?” you add in. To be honest you had missed your duties as the woman who did all the chores in the house. Back in the laboratory Alphys already had machines and robots that appear to do just that. Whenever you gave it a shot, those pesky robots would always do it better. At first you were delighted at the sight knowing you won’t ever have to lift a finger for any chore. It was like a child’s dream. But as time passed you wanted to waste time, even if it meant picking up a mop and leaving the slippery floors sparkly clean. 

Grillby burns off whatever pieces of dust and grime were in his hands before facing you. “Will I accept and profit off your generosity? Keep indulging in those fantasies, for I won’t accept them. You are the guest and you will be treated as such, not as a maid-”

“No it’s okay! I actually like cleaning dishes and doing laundry and everything!” you quickly intervene, stepping out in front of him. “I mean, I don’t want to give the wrong impression, but I do miss doing chores. Can never do them back at home. I know it sounds weird.”

He gave you a long stare before he began walking to where ever his home appears to be. “I have never met such a soul as young and unique as you. How come I have never heard of you?” he pondered out loud as you followed him. His steps were long and slow, but not slow enough that you could do the same. With your small feet and stature, you had to quickly catch up by walking a bit faster. “Let me give you a helping hand. I am most certain that your customs are unlike mine.” You gave out a small squeal upon hearing those words, knowing you’ll be able to do something you’ve been itching to do for a while. 

“In the meantime, how did my comrade Sans behave in your presence? Did you fare well?” he inquired, worry in his voice.

“It was nice!” you pipe out. “It was sad to see him leave. I wanted to get to know him more and all-OH, and I had forgotten to get his fingerprint.” You pouted the moment you remembered. Grillby gave you a quick glance, yet he had no specific facial feature to know what kind of expression he was trying to give off. This made it difficult for you to respond or act.

“Fingerprint?” he questioned skeptically. 

“Yes, fingerprint,” you repeated. He kept glancing at you for the next few seconds, you give him an awkward smile, not knowing why he was looking your way. Until you realized the technology you speak of is something they have never seen yet. Why are you so silly? “Oh, um… look here,” you began to explain, holding out your pocket watch for him to see. You quickly pop it open off its lid. “Instead of using phone numbers or anything else to communicate, it uses fingerprints. To be honest I don’t know how it works, since it’s something my friend gave to me… but at least I know how to use it.”

He slowed down in order to take in the full view. “That is quite the feat. Technology appears to be advancing to great lengths every other day.” He sounded surprised, giving himself a few seconds to study the watch’s features. “If it’s more convenient for you, I am capable of reminding him during his next visitation.” 

“T-thank you! You are too kind sir!” you hugged his arm, snuggling for a few seconds before breaking away. “I didn’t think I would end up meeting such a nice man when I first stumbled here. I-” you stop, realizing you were about to divulge classified information. Your tone shifted to that of an soft and timid one. “I was, uh, expecting a cold shoulder and cold feedback. I got the opposite instead.”

“I am astonished you would think of such. Everybody here appears to be sincere.”

“I know. I’m beginning to learn that too.” You think back to the rabbit who hinted at you about dipping into the career of acting. It makes you wonder about the other inhabitants of this universe. Everybody seems kind and sweet. Helpful and never wanting to harm you in the slightest. It was different where you came from. They would give you second glances filled with horror and fear. You were seen as the monster they thought you were, but you weren’t. You couldn’t blame them however; it was a human who had murdered innocent lives after all. 

“Now I know it is not my right to ask this of you, but,” he stops once he reaches what might be his house. “While my friend can be quite the gullible comrade, I am afraid that is not the case for me.” Your heart starts to race, fearing the worst. “Humans, like us, have been living amongst the stars and are knowledgeable in such topics. In addition, even if you were secluded from the citizens living in the vicinity, we are still connected. We would have been aware of your existence much sooner.”

The keys rattle in his pockets as he rummages for them. You kick the snow beneath, trying to recollect your thoughts as you debate whether to leave now or to stay and explain. 

Grillby slowly opens the door, the sound of creaking filling your ears. The house was a small one and opened to the living room. A kitchen could be seen past the living room, connected by a door frame. Small lava lamps illuminated the living room, revealing the pile of books and papers spread across the coffee table that was surrounded by three small couches. 

“Alas, those are only my thoughts to ponder aloud with,” his tone shifts back to that of a cheerier one. He enters, leaving the door open for you to walk through. But your legs wouldn’t budge. They, along with the rest of your body, felt cold. He had just voiced his opinion and thoughts about you, and apparently you were easy to read. You can take the chance and run away once more, contacting your reptilian pal on the other universe to save you, but it was unlikely you could pull that off. You’re a shy and nervous mess, you don’t have the heart to abandon this gentleman who, despite the doubts he has about you, still gives you aid. 

“It’s okay if you think like that. I should be telling you everything, especially after the way you’ve been treating me,” you murmured, eyes showing sorrow. “You offered a place to stay, cleaned my wounds, helped make me feel better, gave me something to do, introduced me to Sans, and even with your doubts, you keep being nice.” He dusts off the couches with his hands, slapping the dirt off. While you wait for him to respond you take a good look around the living room. There was a dark carpet under the three sofas and coffee table. The walls were themed like the environment outside, with stars and spirals. Bookcases were beside the entrance, filled with a plethora of books that varied in sizes and color. It also smelled like caramel apples and toasted bread, which was very welcoming to you.

“I apologize for my impudent words; I should have not voiced them out loud to you,” he states, his hands fixing the objects on the coffee table. 

“You are right though,” you spoke out, watching him take a seat in one of the dark green couches as soon as he had finished. You remained standing outside, head peeking into the house. “I um… I have an odd story. It’s very difficult to explain and I didn’t want to tell you that because I thought you might think wrong of me. But I’m sure you already do now that you know I lied to you,” your voice trails off, your arms behind your back. “And I’m sorry too.” You clumsily step inside, nervous as you sense his eyes on you. Eyes that… you weren’t sure how they worked.

He bestows the sofas in front of him, an arm extended to show that you must, indeed, take a seat. “Please take a seat, don’t feel bashful or the need to apologize for my audacious words. It was I who began this dilemma. And knowing that, I am willing to hear your story.”

“M-my story? Are you sure you’re not mad or anything?” you stutter, somewhat baffled and with your own hand lightly touching your chest.

“What I will feel will depend on what I perceive.” You quickly take a seat on the couch in front of you, unsure as to how to start. “Do not be timid around me, I will not interject nor ruminate about the past.” His words are sometimes hard to understand when you don’t know the meaning of them, but you are sure he meant you can spill everything out without being judged right away.

“Okay well.” You get comfortable in your seat and take a few deep breaths. Each passing breath got worse, making you redden knowing that he might know you’re terrified of telling him the truth. “I hope you don’t mind if I sound like I’m trembling or anything… I’m kind of very nervous. Have only told one other person about all this and I waited a long time before I did-”

“If what you are trying to imply is the lack of trust you have for me, then I can understand. There is no need to divulge everything to me now. There is no need to inform me of anything either.” He pressed the ends of his fingers together, somewhat concentrated on his words. “This is your decision and yours alone.” His words somehow encouraged you, making you feel more determined to tell him everything. Maybe it was how kind he was to you, or his patience. He wasn’t pressuring you, but he was telling you that you could wait. Or you could not tell him at all, and he might not mind.

“I know I just met you today, but I trust you a lot already. You remind me a lot of my dad.” There you go, you said too much already. Yes, this flaming individual sitting right in front of you who was leaning forward with his forearms resting on his knees, reminded you of your father back at home. He was a respected physician who barely had time for you, but when he did, he made sure you would be able to cherish every moment of it. Whether it was taking you to the zoo or helping you with your essay for college, he always managed to plant a smile on your face. He was patient, calm, and knew what to say at the right time. You were daddy’s little girl and always wished to be like him.

Here you were, feeling that same respect and need to trust for Grillby. The way he spoke and acted simply reminded you of your own father, especially his patience and kindness for you. 

Grillby and his damn lack of expressions. You’re sure monsters could figure out what he was feeling, since… magic. But you weren’t a monster. Most of the time you couldn’t tell what he was perceiving or feeling. “I know that probably sounded weird to you, to know that you remind me of my dad, but that’s probably why I could trust you so quickly.” You take out your pocket watch and place it on the coffee table in front for the two of you to see clearly. “To begin, I need to tell you about this watch. It’s no ordinary watch… it’s, well, it lets me travel through universes?”

He flinched, not knowing how to take that in. “Universes, you say?”

“It’s hard to believe, I know, but I can’t show you how it does that yet. But anyway! The watch can do more than just that.” You lay a finger on its delicate metal. “I already told you how it can communicate with people by the simple memory of their fingerprint. I’m not sure how, but it can do that. It can also tell me when it’s about to run out of power. Once it’s close to running out of power, as you can see here,” you stop to pry open the lid. The gauge was still showing you a nearly-full device. “The gauge tells me the power levels I guess. And here, the hearts that look like souls, they are kind of used as markers as to where I will be teleporting. The red heart took me to this universe. Different hearts take me to different places. I haven’t tried them all yet.” You stop to rethink your words, trying to see what you could say next.

Grillby is studying the watch, perplexed by the explanation you have just given him. He seems too lost to put anything into words. He would begin to speak, but then interrupt himself by studying the watch again. After a few minutes of this he appears to finally understand. 

“That can account for your behavior and lack of knowledge about our own world,” he finally made a sentence, his voice filled with confidence. “I may not be educated in the matter, yet…” he ponders out loud, his hands floating above the watch. He glances at you, waiting for you to give him the go on being able to examine it closer. You nod to this, allowing him to pick it up and study it up close. “…the technology is phenomenal.”

“Yes. It really is amazing,” you agree with him. Once he has finished checking every bump and dial on the watch, he sets it down and switches his focus on you. He stares intently, ready to absorb anything else that might throw him off. At first you were waiting for him to say he’s done, but you assume that the long pause of silence was enough. “To continue, um, well. Now you know the watch has these magical powers I guess. It’s the reason I could jump to this universe, and also the reason you might have seen me enter out of the blue and into you-oh, speaking of which, I’m sorry about that,” you switch gears, no longer leaning towards him but against the back of your own seat. “So sorry, I feel bad I was so silly and a mess and a clumsy girl.” You were blushing from the memories you can recall of those embarrassing moments. 

“On the contrary I found that worth making a memory out of.” He places his hands on the arms of the couch and pushes himself up. You watch him walk towards the wall behind him, where photographs were framed beautifully. “Similar to your situation, I also happen to be reminded of someone close to me when I stumbled across your presence.” He gingerly touches the glass protecting a photograph. From afar you couldn’t make out who it was other than it has a similar silhouette to Grillby. “Prior to managing the bar I currently own, I used to occupy my time with aiding the royal scientist.” This came as a surprise to you. 

You jumped out of your seat and quickly jogged to his side. This helped you get a better look at the contents of the photograph he was admiring. It was that of him, Grillby, standing by a smaller humanoid green flame monster. Both were wearing lab coats and glasses. It wasn’t until you noticed the earrings that were barely noticeable behind the flames that you realized it was a female.

“Her name was Latuna. She had her mother’s eyes… and the same passion for the unknown as I carried when I was her age. Our only child. Our only reason for existence.” He walked around you and stopped by the bookcase, examining the dozens of books that were collecting dust. “Despair. Anguish. Depression. All these feelings are what many feel when they recall the events that caused the loss of life from somebody dear. I was no different. I began to replay the events countless of times. I saw every flaw, every decision I made. I envisioned the different ways our lives could have continued without my existence.” His hands pull out an old, torn, purple book from the top shelf. “I could not cease the suffering I was burdening myself with. The different “ifs” I kept visualizing mentally would not end.” 

You could no longer focus on your own explanation, but that of his. It made your heart flutter and yearn for him to tell you a happier ending. Little did you realize that he was who he is thanks to these horrific turn of events. 

“What happened?” you whispered. You were surprised when he turned to face you. You had whispered so quietly that you thought he wouldn’t have been able to hear, but he did. “You don’t have to answer that. I was just… curious. Actually I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be asking that. I know it’s personal and sad,” you spoke louder. 

“Worry not. I might as well.” He returns the book to its original place. “As you can infer, I was a scientist. As were the rest of my family. We were young and ambitious, mainly our only child. Her desire to achieve greater things far surpassed our own, and I didn’t see that as anything… that could be harming to her.” His body shifts slightly, leaning back to be able to see the skylight that you didn’t notice was there to begin with. “I was mistaken.”

You get closer to him, glancing at the books that were neatly placed on the shelves. Each had a readable title and appeared to be color coded. 

“Even I have difficulty trying to recall the events that led to the day we have made an error in judgement. The day a miscalculation enticed an explosion to occur.” You gasp at the thought, beginning to feel sorrow knowing he was able to stay calm and collected. “The girl who dreamed of breaking the barrier was no longer. Nor was the family. I had lost two souls in that instant… and yet… I was the sole survivor.”

His cool façade was beginning to crumble as you heard a hint of despair in his voice. This was enough to prompt you to tear up. “I really am sorry I’m making you bring this all up. I feel terrible-”

“Ironically it is you who is feeling the despair of it all. It should be I who is expressing those feelings,” he mumbled, kneeling down to wipe the tears away. “This is why you remind me fondly of Latuna.” You look away, wiping the rest of the tears away yourself with your oversized sleeves. “It is also selfish of me to treat you as such. Merely a stranger who resembles her in behavior… and thoughts. And actions. I wish I could blame faith and destiny.”

“But I don’t think I’m like her,” you respond, saddened. “You still need to know more. I’m not as… innocent as you think I am. I don’t want you to think that either. After I tell you everything, I’ll believe it all.” He stands up and nods. When the two of you settle down on the couches, you continue your story.


	16. It's Sad To Know I Will Never See Most Of These Monsters Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summer classes started here where I'm at! For those who are in college, or beginning it, I'm wishing the best of luck to all of you! It's a Monday after all, not many like Mondays ^^;

Grillby was peering through the windows, unable to absorb what you had just explained. It was a quick explanation, only a mere ten minutes or so, but it was enough to make him stand and nearly fall on to the wall.

“That is quite the predicament.” You nod, tucking the watch back into your pocket. “To condense it all, you were assigned the endeavor of traveling to different universes in order to accumulate magic for it to be utilized in the overall goal of breaking the barrier in your universe.” He managed to summarize it nicely, which deserved a thumbs up. So you gave him a thumbs up. However, you still felt guilt deep inside for having left out one tiny detail that you know would have deterred him from keeping you any longer. That magic would have been stolen. You would disappear forever after that. You couldn’t help but leave that part out. 

There was no need for him to know, and besides, you’ll leave this place for good once you do. He doesn’t need to know, right?

“Can you specify what essence of magic they are seeking?” he asked, making you wince. Nothing came to mind, and you don’t want to tell him the truth. That was something you definitely wanted to keep to yourself. This did bring up a different question however, one you didn’t bother asking Alphys or Sans about when you were still back home. How would you end up gathering magic? You never bothered to wonder, nor taught. You were simply given the task. Perhaps it is something they will do themselves?

“About that… I am not so sure. I should have really asked what kind. I should have also asked how to. They gave me the task and I didn’t bother to wonder how I’ll go about it. How silly of me.”

“How peculiar.” He walked into the kitchen, serving himself some coffee. Coffee wasn’t your thing, so you denied the offer he gave. “Perhaps now would be the time to ask about that issue?”

“Yes!” you agreed, not thinking twice before opening the holographic screen on your watch. Before you decided to call Alphys, you left the house and stood by the entrance. You didn’t want Grillby to be listening when the name of Sans pops up in the conversation. “Alphys! It has been so long-”

“_____!!!!! Where-what-why… oh I don’t even know w-what to say… a-are you okay?!?” her voice erupted from the watch. It was trembling and squeaking. “M-more like, are you safe??? Are you hurt??? Did anybody d-do anything to you??? _____ I have so m-many questions to a-ask… did you m-make it through safely? Oh I should have called m-myself earlier. Oh dear, oh dear-”

“I’m safe Alphys,” you responded over her worry, silencing her. You could hear her sigh on the other side, followed by a series of loud breaths. “I made it through the portal safely! I wasn’t keeping track of time so… don’t know how long it’s been. Definitely more than a few hours, but I did meet somebody nice! I met Grillby! I guess the Grillby from this universe. You wouldn’t believe it though! He reminds me of my dad, the spitting image-well, not image, but how he behaves and talks and everything, it’s so similar! It’s cool! And and and I also met Sans here already! He doesn’t look that different, just wears different clothes. Same with Papyrus. Same with everybody actually. The only difference is that the theme of the entire universe appears to be that of galaxy and the cosmos… which is beautiful. Oh, Alphys, I could talk on and on about this… it’s just, breath taking.” You finally stop to take a breath, looking up at the cosmos beyond. Winds could still be felt, despite the setting, goosebumps forming on your bare skin.

“L-let’s talk then!” she suggested, making you grin like an idiot.

“Let’s!”

 

\--

 

“woah.”

“That’s what I thought too! In order to be able to succeed and extract all that magic… I would have to end up close enough as to touch their souls? Then, once I do, I snatch up the pocket watch and force that in their hearts. But the thing is, Alphys doesn’t even know what or who I should extract magic from yet… they just want me to explore these universes until they decide what Sans wants.”

“_____, you shouldn’t keep going with this.” His words were sharp and solemn. “i don’t want to see you do this.” 

“I, um.” You glanced around you, taking a good look at the room you were staying in. Grillby happens to have an extra room just for you. Before he introduced it to you, it was locked and filled with dust. To no surprise, he had opened it and cleaned it while you were chatting for hours on end with Alphys outside. When you were done, it was perfectly clean and well prepared for your arrival. You couldn’t help but give the man a quick hug before you jumped into the bed.

“_____,” he called. 

“Sorry. It’s okay if you think wrong of me… I mean, it’s not something I would agree with either. I know you wouldn’t do something like this. I’m going to return home though, if I do end up completing this.” Your voice starts to rise, the thought of seeing your family again filling you with hope. “If I didn’t do this, somebody else would have. It’s difficult, and sounds emotionally draining, but I think I can do it! I know I can! I have to… if I want to see my family again. They know that this is the way, they’ve done the calculations and everything. They can’t sit and wait for seven more humans to fall down to the underground, it might take decades. Decades sounds like a very long time, Sans.”

Your breathing was rapid, and you were tightly hugging the blankets you were under. The pocket watch was situated in front of you, its screen facing you. SugarSans sighed from the other side of the line, unable to say anything more.

“be careful.”

“I will. I managed to survive one day in this beautiful universe… if only you were here to see it. Stars and more stars in the night sky. It’s not even the night sky, it’s literally space. The final frontier. Apparently humans were already advanced enough to do space travel? It’s a cool thought, like science fiction. My own universe isn’t even close to coming that far.”

“yeah. but hey, let’s be serious for once.” His tone was no different than it was when the conversation started. He was somber, and you couldn’t blame him for it. He was listening to his dear friend talk about her travels involving the task of possibly snatching magic from different alternate universes. It would worry any friend. 

“Oh okay, I can do that.” You were nervous.

“we’re close to breaking the barrier. if we do end up breaking the barrier, you should ditch your plans and return to us. you can start a new life with us. it won’t be the same, won’t make any promises, but better than chillin’ in that universe you keep whinin’ about.” 

“Sans, my family isn’t in your universe-”

“yes, they are. not one you know, but a different version of them.”

“It’s not the same one I know. They’ll have their own _____ that they love and cherish. Especially a different version of me that they already prefer and hasn’t fallen to the underground yet.”

“maybe you don’t need them,” his voice started to quiver. It didn’t stop you from objecting to his ideas, not agreeing with where this was going. “did you ever stop and think maybe you could start a better life? a new family.”

“No, I already said no!” you rejected harshly, only to regret the tone you had used. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice like that… um-”

“nah. it’s cool. hey, got something to do. mind if we chat later?” He didn’t give you enough time to respond before he hanged up, making you feel guilty. It’s odd to know that you’ve never really had an argument with him, and while this doesn’t really count as one, it is definitely the first time you’ve upset him. Or if you hadn’t upset him, then crestfallen him. 

You start to nibble at your tongue, trying to ease your nerves. A lot was happening, and this was only the very beginning of it. You miss your family, yes that’s obvious, but you’re already starting to miss Alphys. However, you are well aware you’re going to feel slightly wretched leaving behind Grillby after what he has divulged to you. Despite having just met him, you two got close pretty quick. 

Melancholy was inevitable, and you’re not sure what to do at this point. “Gotta stay strong. This is only the very beginning anyway.” An idea started to pop into your mind. What if you didn’t tackle every universe one by one, but all at once? That way, you won’t have to ditch one and jump into another and carry the burden of betrayal throughout your journey. Instead, you could do it all at once, in one day, in one bulk. 

You could save yourself the fear of leaving Grillby so soon. “But you’re only prolonging the inevitable,” you talk to yourself, stressed. “The only ones you could keep in contact with after the entire journey is done is Alphys and sugarSans… one of which you might not see ever again.” You grew forlorn, the window being the only source where light was emanating from. The sound of crickets and frogs in the night was soothing, yet unable to shave off the worries that kept piling on to you. 

Your body shifts so that the light falls on your soft cheeks. The stars outside were inviting and kept flickering with the intensity that kept them alive. When you were younger your mother would constantly remind you to make a wish to the stars. She would claim that they would one day remember those promises and aid you in completing them. “Wish they would,” you mumbled, feeling your stomach knot up with the gloomy thoughts. “Starting to regret agreeing to this.” 

Your mind starts to wander, your eyes closing from how tired your body was. The sound of nature outside was like a lullaby helping you, easing you, into a deep slumber.

The pocket watch was glowing brightly. 

“hey. uh, sorry to leave you hanging there,” sugarSans apologized as soon as you accepted the call. “couldn’t help but think to myself ‘bout the big problem there.”

“I apologize for being mean,” you admit.

“come on, don’t be like that. you were bein’ honest s’all. cheer up pal! got an idea that might brighten up your day sport.” The thought snapped you out of your gloomy thoughts. “wanna hear me out?”

“Yes I do,” you responded more vividly, the slightest hint of hope lingering in you. “I’m all ears for this.”

“don’t go suckin’ the magic out of monsters, but ask for help instead. if you can make a friend out of me, who is willin’ to break a neck-heheheh-for you, then i know-hey, you laughin’?” he stopped to check on you, hearing you let out a giggle.

“S-sorry, you can continue,” you force yourself to stop. 

“s’cool, about time i hear you laugh. glad to see you’re still yourself _____. uh, anyway, why not try to get them to give you a hand? wait for the right moment, when they’re all cool with it, then lay it thick on them.”

“I don’t know if that will work, but it sounds like a good idea.” You ponder about it, playing with the idea that instead of snatching the magic away from them, you could make them all agree to give you a helping hand. It was rather obvious. It was the first idea you ever thought up of. But Alphys turned you down quick… not because she was against it, but due to Sans’ ideas. The two of you knew that giving him such an idea would make him simply turn it away. He’s not up for those kind, friendly, obvious alternatives. He wanted to war it out. 

“dunno man. before i met you, didn’t think i’d be making friends with a human from a different universe. but i did.” You shrug at that, his point being reasonable to you.

“Well yeah, you’re right about that. I’ll ask and see if it’s cool with them-”

“before you go, i gotta tell you something quick.”

“Oh, yeah, sure. What is it?”

There was a short pause. “i miss you, _____.” Your heart begins to flutter and your stomach plummets. You didn’t expect to hear this and it caught you off guard. You wanted to respond back, repeating those same words, but he hung up before you mustered the courage. This was the second time in a row he hung up on you without a proper goodbye. 

The pocket watch was placed by the bed side table, the lid covering the delicate crystal glass. Once settled, you close your eyes and try to sleep. You’ve already said good night to both Alphys and Grillby, who are probably getting ready to sleep themselves. But not sugarSans. He’s left you feeling oddly worried, yet feeling oddly satisfied as well. 

Never did you have feelings for him other than as a brother, and you were hoping that was all you two would ever be. It would be tragic to develop feelings, only to know very well you could never see him again. Much less be able to hug him or see him with your very own eyes, in person, standing right in front of him.

With a frown and an aching heart, you fall asleep.


	17. Spaghetti... IN SPACE.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our power went out this morning and didn't return early enough for me to put up a chapter before college, thus the late update for today.
> 
> But here's two chapters for you guys c: Enjoy!

The morning was beautiful and the birds were singing. Their melodies reciprocated your refreshed mind and body, who had been up early in the morning in order to serve breakfast to your good friend Grillby. He was still asleep, last time you checked, so you took the advantage to do everything you could before he woke up. 

You have dusted everything, even the bookshelves, cleaned the dishes, picked up dirty clothes and piled them up in the bathroom where the rest of the laundry was, and even made breakfast. You don’t know what kind of coffee he preferred, but you started heating up the water so that he could get a head start. Surely he didn’t eat cereal in the mornings, so you made sure to cook him some eggs and bacon. By coincidence, he also had some orange juice left in the fridge, and thus you served it by the cooked meal. 

Despite a growling stomach, you stayed strong and waited a few minutes. Eating without him would feel odd, so you didn’t want to start just yet. You had also sent a very detailed message, before cooking, to Alphys about the obvious idea sugarSans had given you. There was no response yet, but you were hoping it wasn’t a negative one. 

Grillby wasn’t up yet and you weren’t starting without him. Rummaging through the cabinets revealed a small foldable table perfect to place on the bed on top of somebody’s lap. You didn’t hesitate to quickly unravel it, slap his breakfast on top, and rush to his room. But you struggled in opening his door. It was such a sly door, hard to open, creaking once you did, and smelled of burnt wood.

When you did open it you found out he was already awake, but sitting down on the edge of his bed. He was wearing an adorable purple, fluffy, soft-looking gown. Your presence was unexpected, you could tell, but you entered regardless. Pushing the door with your back, you couldn’t help but notice that he was wearing his glasses. You’ve never seen him without them, but then again they’re the only reason you know where he’s looking.

“I brought you some food, since I know you’re probably going to be hungry and all,” you mumbled as you set the table above his lap. “I’m sure you eat? Or else you wouldn’t have food stored in the fridge or anywhere else.” You plop yourself beside him, opening a bottle of water for you to drink. 

“I am astounded by this. Did not anticipate this. It is I who should be cooking the breakfast, not you!” he cheerily said, nudging you. You spilled some water on to yourself, but you didn’t mind. You were preoccupied seeing Grillby delightfully eat his breakfast you had made. Whether it was good or not didn’t seem to matter to him as he quickly chewed down what was on his plate. 

You spent the rest of the morning helping him get ready for today. You ironed his clothes and listened to him discuss about major events that happened in space land. This is how you learned about how a human did not go on a killing spree like the one in your universe, but on the contrary, spared everybody in their path. The king was the only one to suffer the consequences, perishing along with the Royal Guards. Toriel took charge, thereby preventing any further attack on humans that may fall or appear. However, she did want them to be sent to her personally if they are to be harmful or dangerous. 

Alphys and Undyne are working on ways to break the barrier. Meanwhile Papyrus is tending to the castle’s garden. Sans… well, Sans is still Sans. He does help with the scientists from time to time, especially after he’s been asked to aid with the endeavor. 

The human who passed through the world and returned home was named Frisk.

“That sounds so nice,” you say as you poke at a grape with your fork. While listening to him speak you started to crave more food. As a result, you went to look for snacks, and grapes were the first thing your eyes saw. It turns out you weren’t that hungry. “Back at my universe the human that fell down, via the same name, had murdered nearly everybody.” Grillby looked surprised, not expecting Frisk to be capable of such behaviors. “I know you’re surprised, but just like you, I’m surprised to hear the version of Frisk in your universe. Completely different people. But then again, the Sans in my universe is completely different from the Sans in this universe. I prefer the one in this universe, honestly.”

“You give the impression of being enamored with this universe,” he voiced his opinion, serving himself a cup of black coffee. “While touching on this subject, be aware that you are welcome here with open arms. It’s refreshing to see such an innocent soul still lingering among us.”

You blush at the compliment, smiling sheepishly at him. “Oh thank you, you don’t have to say it like that… I’m not that great. But yes! I will return!” You throw a grape into your mouth, melting at the taste of this heavenly fruit. “Mmmm… so good. It’s been so long since I had one.”

“Serve yourself more,” he said, handing you a plate of them he quickly snatched from the fridge. You quickly turn your head to look at him, shaking in objection. “No need to be bashful. Accept this offer.”

“Can’t take it, it’s too many grapes!” you protest, pushing the plate towards him. “Also, can I ask you a question? Do you know where Sans and Papyrus live? I um… I forgot to pay them a visit yesterday afternoon and it completely slipped my mind… until now.” The grapes were tempting, but you refused to give in. Grillby didn’t shy away from eating the grapes, disappearing when he threw them into the ball of fire that was his face. You still wonder how he talks, eats, or does much with that kind of physical form, but you didn’t bother to ask him. 

“Of course, as soon as you are prepared we can set off to my comrade’s house. It is only a short distance away. It is very convenient.”

“Thank you!” you grin, unable to resist the grapes any longer. Your cheeks began to grow as you stored the grapes in them like a chipmunk.

 

\--

 

“HUMAN. _____. WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!? YOU SLIPPERY SNAIL, I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING… YOU THOUGHT I WAS BUSY AND THAT I HAD A CHANGE OF PLANS, AND DIDN’T WANT TO BOTHER ME!!! WORRY NO LONGER! NOW, HUMAN, TODAY IS YOUR LUCKY DAY.” Papyrus stood by the entrance of his house, which was much better looking than you expected. 

“Sorry about that, I meant to visit yesterday… but yes! I thought you were busy, hahaha, and thought you weren’t busy today! How did you even know?” you played along, not wanting to hurt his feelings. It wasn’t too hard knowing you’ve been able to interact very well with the sugary version of Papyrus.

He quickly opened the door and yelled out for his brother, who happened to be home as well. “SANS, WHAT’S THIS? GET UP AND GREET _____ AT ONCE. SHE IS FINALLY HERE! LATE, BUT HERE! YOU SEE?!? I WAS RIGHT. SHE THOUGHT I WAS BUSY AND DIDN’T WANT TO BOTHER ME!” He faced you once more, making sure you were still there. “ISN’T THAT RIGHT?”

“Yes! Of course!” you agree happily, making him grin with excitement. “And this time I can definitely try your cooking skills… right?” 

“WHAT?!?!” He paused and stared at the kitchen, then at you, then at the kitchen, then at you once more. “_____, WAIT HERE! I NEED TO PREPAPRE A SURPRISE FOR YOU!!!”

“Oh sure-” 

He slammed the door, his footsteps audible from the outside. You leaned against the wooden house, thinking of the possibilities this visit could have. You get to talk to Sans and Papyrus again, albeit different versions of them. It’s like meeting sugary Sans and sugary Papyrus all over again, except in a completely different setting. 

You frowned thinking about last night and the state you left sugarSans in. Maybe you should have checked up on him instead of hoping he could get better on his own. Usually he would text you good morning, but that text was absent today. Alphys didn’t send you a response to your long essay yet, which was beginning to make you worry. It’s surely been at least an hour since it’s been sent, no, two or three! 

“sup?”

A yelp escapes your mouth, making him chuckle. “Um, hello. It’s been a short while,” you force out, fixing your hair and trying to regain your posture.

“heh, definitely been a while. heard you and paps, so i thought i’d keep you busy till he finishes cookin’ over inside.” He looks through the window, making sure his brother is where he said he was. You take a sneak peek as well, giggling when you see him trying to cook up some space spaghetti for your spoiled self. Once you two spent a good while checking out Papyrus, Papyrus slams open the door.

“OH WHERE ARE MY MANNERS?! WERE YOU WAITING ON ME TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR YOU? OOPSIE, UH.” He steps outside with the door wide open, gesturing for the two of you to step inside. “NOW I DID! AND SANS? WHY ARE YOU OUTSIDE?! WHY DIDN’T YOU LET OUR GUEST IN?!”

“you could say… the thought blew right through my bones,” he gave his brother a sly grin, making his face grow animated, annoyed by his pun.

“OH MY GOD.” He marches in, but only to poke out his head into the outside once again the next minute. “OH AND MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME. I MADE IT SMELL EXTRA… SPACE-Y JUST FOR YOU.” The two of you walk inside after Papyrus disappears.

“not going home yet, huh?” he starts, stopping by the edge of the door frame. You nod, leaning back on to the house’s outer wall.

“Not yet, but I will soon. I’ve already talked to Grillby about it, and he says that I can return and stay at his place for visits. Made me happy knowing that.” Papyrus’ booming voice could be heard, his singing unsurprisingly catchy. “So I know you and Grillby are close, so I wanted to ask about that… if that’s okay with you of course.” He adjusts his jacket, getting comfortable before answering your question.

“grill and i go way back. back when i worked at the laboratory with alphys - who, by the way, works as a scientist under our queen – i bumped into him. he helped me out get settled and taught me the basics of what’s to know about here. turns out he was a whiz at that stuff, always fixin’ what’s broken, reciting old equations, debating why stars flicker the way they do… such a nerd. just like me. loved hanging out with him and still do.” He creaks the door wider, holding it that way in order for you to squeeze inside. “how about you? got any history with this place?” You accept his offer, taking your first step inside. 

“Wish I did, and want to make history here too. But sadly, no. Wait, I mean-” you pause to collect your thoughts, forgetting that only Grillby knew about your true situation. “I mean like, I hope I get to know everybody here. You all seem so nice and I just… feel left out? Everybody seems to know everybody. It’s a nice feeling to have, I bet.” 

Papyrus interrupts your conversation, galloping past the kitchen and in between the two of you. An apron with the letters of “best mommy” was covering his battle body. “_____, YOU CAN COME IN NOW-WAIT, SANS, OH MY GOD, WHY ARE YOU PESTERING OUR GUEST SO EARLY IN THE MORNING?” he whined as soon as he noticed your snickering. The two glance over to the kitchen to see a table neatly adorned with three plates. You were hoping the Papyrus from this world knew how to cook just as good as sugarPapyrus could. “I HAVE COOKED FOR YOU, WITH GREAT LOVE AND PATIENCE, SOME SPAGHETTI MADE BY NONE OTHER THAN I! LUCKILY FOR YOU I HAD JUST TAKEN COOKING LESSONS YESTERDAY, SO I WAS EVEN MORE PREPARED FOR TODAY THAN I WAS YESTERDAY!”

“Oh you didn’t have to, really,” you sweetly said, feeling loved by the effort he has put into the cooking. You weren’t too hungry, but you were at least going to try to eat half of it. After hearing he was happily making food just for you, you couldn’t turn it away simply because you weren’t hungry. You would be a savage! Savage isn’t a word you wanted to be connected with. 

“he’s gotten better, trust me. his cooking lessons are making his food more edible by the day,” Sans reassured you, pushing both his chair and your chair out. You thanked him as you sat down, studying the food before you. The spaghetti certainly smelled like regular spaghetti. It was topped with tomato sauce and meatballs, adding to its appeal. 

“It looks very good, maybe I might actually have seconds.”

“doubt it.”

“SECONDS YOU SAY? YOU’RE SO ENCHANTED BY HOW MY COOKING LOOKS THAT YOU ALREADY WANT SECONDS??? WOWIE, THAT’S A NEW ONE.” He settled down and scooted his chair closer to the table. While they begin to eat, Sans reluctant to take the first bite, you doze off into a land of cakes and cherries. Your mind starts to show you a film of past memories from sugar land, the main focus being Sans. His pink heart-shaped pupils danced in his eye sockets as he playfully walked away from you, your vision being the camera the dream is being seen through. 

“hey, _____? paps, i think the smell of the food was too much.”

“WAS IT? I MUST FIX THIS!”

“Oh no it’s fine!” you were snapped out of the daydream by their small conversation. “I was just um, daydreaming, as you could tell. But I’ll get to eating, no worries!” you reassured, immediately picking up the fork and swiping up a handful of spaghetti. You refused to make eye contact as you forced mouthfuls of spaghetti into your mouth, cheeks easily puffing out. 

“I SOMETIMES DAYDREAM TOO!!! ONCE I WAS DAYDREAMING ABOUT SETTING UP PUZZLES WITH METTATON! EXCEPT THAT METTATON WASN’T THERE. NOR DID I GET THE PUZZLE TO WORK PROPERLY BECAUSE THE ICE HAD FROZEN BEFORE I COULD FINISH IT,” he quickly changed the tone of the dream, making you giggle in response. Papyrus kept recounted his various dreams and interpretations of them, seemingly no end to them as you began to feel full to the stomach. You would drag your fork across the plate, playing with the small amounts of food left as Sans made amusing faces towards your direction. You were succeeding in not laughing at them, for you didn’t want to lose your focus on Papyrus’ stories, but at times you couldn’t help but laugh. Whether it was your tongue being stuck out or his lame impersonations of various animals, you were enjoying the rest of the morning tremendously. 

Puns would be thrown in between Papyrus’ stories, to which he would whine and reply with “SANS, PLEASE, NOT IN FRONT OF _____.” By the time the brothers had cleaned up the mess while you packed up the extra food to take with you, it was already noon. To your luck, they had a clock you could make that statement from.

“hope the visit so far was humerus?” he nudged you on your way to the sofa. Déjà vu hit you at that very moment, the joke having been said before. You’re not sure where or when or with who, but you’re sure you’ve heard it before. Nonetheless, you still laughed at it. “still works, every time.”

“Yeah, it really does,” you agree, smoothing out the cushions on the sofa before you sit down. “Heard you help out with the Royal Scientist in trying to break the barrier? How’s that working out for you guys?” He sighs and perches on the arm of the sofa closest to him. “Also um… dumb it down for me,” you add. SugarSans’ vocabulary when it came to science was phenomenal, but something you couldn’t understand. The Sans sitting right beside you would be no different, you assume. 

“oh?” He chuckles out, making you feel embarrassed to ask such a thing. Fortunately, he complies. “could’ve been better. could say we’re still in square one, trying to find out what the barrier is made of. gotta know the details before we decide on breaking it. problem with that is we don’t know anything ‘bout human magic. very difficult to work with. you could say it works me down to the bone,” he drawls near the end, giving you the signature pointing fingers as a comedic effect. 

“SANS. I CAN HEAR YOUR BAD PUNS ALL THE WAY UP HERE,” Papyrus hollers from the second floor, the door to his room wide open. “LET ME FIXATE ON MY ACTION FIGURES IN PEACE BROTHER.”

“chill your bones paps.”

“SANS. PLEASE.”

You heard the door being slammed shut, Sans whistling in response to his brother’s rough treatment of the door. “ain’t he the coolest?” he asks, pointing towards Papyrus’ room. “glad he can put up with my bad skeletal puns.”

“Sometimes it’s kind of surprising the two of you are brothers, other than the fact that you two are skeletons of course,” you pondered out loud, pulling out your pocket watch to check for the gauge. It was near the halfway mark. This means that you can only stay outside your universe for a few days before it runs out of juice.

“wouldn’t ask for a better brother,” he mumbles, leaning back on the sofa and staring at the ceiling above. “uh, hey, almost forgot to ask. grillby gave me a quick call this mornin’. heard you wanted my digits.” It took you a moment to process what he had said before you began to blush. He leaned closer towards you, his sockets narrowing and expression changing to that of a flirtatious one. “can’t get enough of these bad bones?”

You leaned away from him, face reddening. “Haha… did he say that? Of course he would, hehehe… er, uh, I didn’t intend to give off that impression, uh-” you were getting tongue tied, scooting away to create distance between you and him. “I have my personal reasons. I was going to ask you myself, but I guess Grillby beat me to it.” His expression remained the same as he returned to his side of the sofa, leaning forward.

“also told me you needed a fingerprint for that?”

“He would be right, yes, on this!” you exclaimed as you opened the pocket watch’s lid to reveal its contents. Revealing the holographic screen caused Sans to stare in awe, never having seen such beauty. “I know, it’s amazing. Al-I mean, a close friend of mine invented it and gave it to me for me to use. All I need is your fingerprint and I can message, call, and even video chat you whenever I want. It just… picks up your cell, or whatever, and uses that as a means of communication I guess? Forgive me if my science is horribly wrong.”

“it’s so… it’s a beauty,” he whispered, inching closer to get a good look. You didn’t hesitate to hand it to him, amused by his reactions and expressions as he toys with the device. 

“Here, let me show you everything I know about it,” you start.


	18. I Don't Know How To Science

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second of two chapters for today c:

Your conversation with Sans ended and you were left to wait on him to return to the sofa.

You pick up a piece of paper and begin to draw. While you may not know very well about how these universes worked or how they were connected, you remembered what Alphys had explained. She was in the belief that these universes, similar to branches, were all stemming from one source, the trunk. However, this did not seem to fit, according to Sans, since these universes seem to be drastically different at times, as if these branches were not connected to the main trunk at all.

And you had an idea. It all started when you were gazing out the window, peering out into the distance. Trees were dotting the distance against the starry night. After a while of having nearly dozed off from the pleasant scenery, you had heard the sound of small bickering. Upon closer inspection, you were surprised to see a scene consisting of two small animals in a duel, snapping and scratching each other’s fur in blurs.

During this fight they had dropped an odd-shaped fruit from the tree, causing its insides to crack open. Its juices and seeds spread throughout.

That’s when the idea hit.

The next second, you had begun dialing Alphys, confident in your response. Every second felt like forever, which is why when she took nearly a minute to respond back, you weren’t patient enough to wait for her to finish. “I think I found out how these universes work! I mean, not work, I’m not a scientist or anything, but it was just a random thought… might not even be right or possible, but I got an idea!” you quickly explained, nearly incomprehensible.

“W-wait, a-are you s-sure about that? I d-don’t know, I think it w-would b-be hard for y-you to understand how the u-universes work, especially since n-not even Sans could solve t-this,” she sounded unsure, which wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. You were sure she would doubt you, especially since you didn’t have any basic education or knowledge in the inner workings of the universes or, well, much of science in general. Knowing the difference between a proton and electron was as high as you got.

“Well yeah, I can understand. I don’t know anything about this, but maybe this idea might help you out a bit more? I don’t know how exactly, but I have more of an analogy for you.” You waited for her response, your free hand beginning to draw out your idea. 

“O-okay, I’ll listen to you.”

Yes! You collected your thoughts, trying to figure out the best way to present them. Fortunately, with this drawing by your side, you think you can get this idea approved by a scientist herself. 

“This is what I propose. What if you guys were half right. What if you guys were simply not thinking outside the box? I want to say that, but then again what do I know, right? Anyway! Can’t get sidetracked. What I want to say is that… um… sorry, I get excited and like, speak too fast and odd and, yeah, uh.” You make your free hand halt in its task of drawing, which was distracting you from the call.

“_____, if y-you want, we can call l-later-”

“No, don’t hang up! I’ll speak clearer this time.” You can hear her sigh from the other side of the line. “I agree in that the tree and its trunk is the main universe… but I was confused as to the branches. Wouldn’t that main universe, on its own, require its own branches since… while it sounds a lot like anime to you, every universe would require its own timelines. Kind of like, you already know, how in our universe, every choice makes a different timeline? Hence the branches. While I know you guys included that in the branch in order to see how the other universes were connected… what if they weren’t connected to the trunk at all?” You stop to take a deep breath, enjoying this sense of accomplishment. 

“keep going,” a new voice interrupted, causing your confidence and pride to drain away. It was no longer Alphys on the other line, but Sans. Was he near her when the call started? Oh you were so stupid, that might be why she was trying to avoid the conversation from continuing.

“Where’s Alphys? I thought she was-”

“listening beside me. now keep going.”

You hesitate, your thoughts scattered as you tried to remember where you had stopped. “Okay so um… I… oh, okay, I remember where I left off.” You take another breath, trying to ease your nerves. While Sans is the one responding to your explanation, Alphys is still there. For now, you can pretend she’s the one on the other line. Messing up is out of the question, especially when Sans is nearby. “The tree you and Alphys spoke of is the main universe. The entire thing. That is the main universe you don’t want to touch. But then you’re going to ask, what about the other universes? That’s the thing. The two of you know, and have very well seen, how some of those alternate universes can either be drastically different or too similar, right? It’s like seeing these universes take the blueprint for the main universes, and simply changing what they want so it’s like… I don’t know… different?” You started to get off track, as if you were talking to yourself when you should be telling them the idea clearly. 

“Sorry, I was going off track. But to continue, I want to propose that the entire tree is the main universe, and the fruit it bears contain the seeds that create new alternate universes. Similar to how genes and genetics work-” Yeah, science! You may not know about physics or chemistry, but you’ve studied enough of medicine to know a bit or two about genetics. “-what if these universes work just like that? The fruits drop, seeds sprout, and like a child, can bear a striking resemblance to its parent or not. That seed is related to the main tree, it arose from that same tree, and this seed… it makes a new tree. A new alternate universe!”

Voices from both Sans and Alphys could be heard on the other side, prompting you to halt. You wanted to be able to understand them, but they appear to be too distant for their conversation to be comprehensible. Then the chatting stopped.

“is there more?”

“Yes! Well, nothing new really, but more like more proof that it might be right? Kind of? So like, these new seeds that fall off the main universe tree… they can make their own tree, right? Meaning these alternate universes have their own timelines.” That was all you can add. You didn’t think far enough other than the connections and the analogy from trees to the universes. 

“T-that means that the pocket watch we gave you and t-the universes we c-chose for you to go t-to… each timeline is a b-branch from an alternate tree that was once a seed from the m-main tree?”

“Yes! For example, here in this galaxy-themed world, we happen to reach a timeline where everything seems nice and dandy. Maybe you could have accidentally also chosen a timeline in this galaxy-themed world where everything was in chaos too.”

“hm.”

“U-until we made a marker where your p-pocket watch can, somehow, only let you visit one timeline from that specific alternate universe every time!”

Everything was falling into place and you felt like a genius. You could hear Alphys congratulating you on your observations and ideas, which happen to finally explain the mysteries they stumbled across. Sans, on the other hand, remained silent on the other side other than a comment or two he would make to Alphys. 

But that did get you thinking. There are other timelines where Grillby never met you, others where he could have decided not to walk, others where you never stumbled upon anyone, others where you could have died, and so many others. One timeline could have an epic adventure occurring, whereas in another there could be nothing happening. You can just imagine a timeline where Grillby hooked up with Sans. That’s hilarious.

It’s interesting to start thinking about all this just now. If it wasn’t for you accepting this odd adventure in the first place, then you wouldn’t be thinking about timelines and universes. It’s an interesting life you’re having. Instead of meeting different monsters you could be listening to a biology lesson in that expensive university you were attending. 

“good job. return when your energy has depleted,” he interrupted the silence and your thoughts. The call ended. 

You gingerly touch the pocket watch, thinking about the possibilities. It’s overwhelming, extraordinary, terrifying, blissful, and astounding all at once. To know you are manipulating one timeline, from hundreds or thousands, with just your presence is definitely worth thinking about. Consequences will always be there, but that was the last thing on your mind.

You were the author of this destiny… or were you? Did your introduction into this timeline create a plethora of others? The more you think about it, the more questions arise. 

“busy bones, aren’t ya?” a voice speaks, startling you. “heh, heard it all.”

Your body froze. Back before you had called Alphys you were having a decent chat with the Sans from this universe. You were explaining to him the inner workings of your pocket watch. His curiosity and willingness to learn was extraordinary, not to mention entertaining for you. But you two ran out of time. He stated he was going to check on Papyrus and will return eventually. Thinking he would take a while, of course, you did what was best and stared out the window. That’s when it all started. The bickering, the fruit collapsing, the small animals being savages.

And he heard it all. 

“Is it okay if I leave for now? Grillby is probably waiting for me-”

“old man can wait. we have some business to take care of,” he finished your sentence, approaching the drawing you had created. “reminds me of how paps draws. he’ll dig it.” His hands barely touched the edge of the paper, only for him to retreat and give you a puzzled look. 

“I can explain! It’s not what it seems, it really isn’t it’s… it’s,” you think of what to say, the words trapped in your throat. Did he hear it all? From the way he’s looking through you, his pupils small and distant, he could have heard it from the very beginning. To know the girl he was talking to was not from this universe and had lied to him must be big news. You couldn’t blame him if he was losing trust in you.

He closed his eyes, sighing and leaning against the wall behind him. “timelines and alternate universes, huh? sounds like a made-up fantasy of grillby’s. didn’t think i’d ever see it come true. but i guess i should’ve seen that comin’ from a mile away. seen a kid made it through the underground and leave this place alive after all.” You refuse to meet his gaze, your fingers firmly grasping the pocket watch. “all right. how ‘bout...”

“Is it okay if I ask if we can still be friends?”

He was caught off guard, his expression hardening at your request. “…listen. don’t know who you are, where you come from, or why you’re here, but…” His reluctant expression softens, making you finally able to meet his gaze. “you’re a cool pal. hard not to like someone who tried to save me from floatin’ into space, right? or am i right?” 

Despite his words you still feel tensed up, as if your body were being coiled up. “I don’t mean any harm or anything bad. But I can understand why you would feel mad at me. Or anything bad, really.” You take a good look at the wrinkles on your hands, ashamed of keeping him away from the truth. “I didn’t want to tell you the truth, or anybody. It’s weird to tell somebody that I come from a different universe and that I’ve been tasked to travel to other ones. Not just anybody could believe me. I even told Grillby and I have doubts he thinks I’m being serious… although he treated it as if it were, so I was happy about that.” You throw the watch into your pocket, no longer needing to rely on it to relieve your stress. “I was going to tell you eventually, but I guess I was beaten to that,” you said solemnly, your gaze having fallen to his slippers. 

He slowly approaches, picking up the drawing along the way. “this right here. it’s worth talking about. could be one hell of a useful thing.” His eyes studied the badly drawn tree, thinking back to the conversation you were having with the other two scientists. “guess they’re far ahead of us, hm? they must already know ‘bout the anomalies and timelines… the resets. but they’re no closer to breaking the barrier,” he began to mumble, his voice tinted with sadness. You stand up, albeit slowly and awkwardly.

“Actually, um,” you begin, catching his attention. His full attention. Actually you just realized how close he was to you, making you grow uncomfortable. With a slight blush, you retreat until the back of your feet run out of room. “They’re very close. Or that’s what they say. I wish I knew more to tell you more.” You take the opportunity to quickly slide out between Sans and the green sofa, now near the exit of the wooden house. “I’m sorry to have ruined your day. I really didn’t mean to, um, I really didn’t.” Your voice was beginning to crack, making you want to leave out of guilt and shame. He didn’t budge, yet his pupils were studying your every movement, his expression that of both confusion and misery.

“hey, uh, don’t-”

“Grillby is waiting!” you finally blurt out, pushing the door open. Without a second to think, you make a dash out of the house and towards Grillby. Your feet glided over the snow, your hair slapping your face at every step. The breeze was sharp and painful as you sped up. Your breathing was quick, heart heavy, head spinning with thoughts. 

Your pocket watch began to vibrate, but you didn’t bother to respond. It could be Sans, any of them, or Alphys. None of them were important right now. All you wanted to do was go to a safe place, and that would be Grillby’s. 

But you didn’t want to go there either, did you? His house was in your line of sight, the skeleton brother’s home minutes away. You had made several turns and twist that you don’t recall where you were anymore. Perhaps you went the longer way since you don’t recall ever seeing Grillby’s house from this angle. 

Breathing became more difficult as your legs buckled to exhaustion. Your body met with the cold snow beneath, welcoming it as it cooled you down. Never have you ran this quick or felt this ashamed. You didn’t expect to have been eavesdropped on, but then again you weren’t the cautious type. This was your fault, and you know it. Already you were making friends without realizing the consequences of parting with them. You could barely handle knowing this Sans was hurt by what he has learned; imagine the day you have to part with them all.

With a heavy heart you check the watch, your fingers reluctant to open the holographic screen. It could be Sans, the one waiting back at his home forlorn and possibly betrayed. It could be Alphys and his scientist partner Sans, the other Sans of course, who are possibly going to reveal something to you. It could also be sugarSans, who had been absent from your messages ever since you had unwillingly turned away his sweet offers. 

It was sugarSans.

“heya. missed ya old pal,” his sweet voice met your ears, making you faintly smile. “uh. bad time?”

“I’ll explain, don’t worry,” you respond, forcing your sore body to sit back up. The lack of exercise was showing, as well as the old wounds from the harsh training regime you had endured not too long ago. The snow was melting, seeping into your clothes. You jolted back up as a result, pouting at the sight of wet spots throughout your pants. “Don’t feel too good is all. I think I may have messed up again.” You could hear him tsk-tsk at you from the other side.

“don’t think like that, you’re new at this. i’m sure i would’ve messed up too. ‘sides, if all goes wrong, you still got your old pal sugarSans to back you up, ya hear?” he cheers you up. You’re beginning to feel better, the stress and shame slowly being washed away by the positive vibe your friend is somehow getting through to you. “also, managed to snag some special cake up. remember that one time we saw the strawberry shortcake?”

“Yeah, the one that I really thought was good, but you didn’t want to try for some reason? Yeah, I remember that one very clearly.” Seeing as how Grillby’s house wasn’t too far off, you begin to walk. “Did you get it? If you did, eat it for me, okay?”

“nah. well, i did something else. i learned how to make it. next time you visit here, count on me on makin’ you a strawberry shortcake, ok?”

“Sans, you’re too good of a friend for me,” you replied with a silly grin, tears running down your face. They were tears of joy, that of knowing you have somebody who really worries for you, and despite how you may not appreciate him as much, still tries his best. He knows very well you might not visit, but he keeps carrying the hope that it’s still a possibility. He’s not that different from Papyrus, and you’re glad. At times like these his positivity shines through, and it makes you wonder how you managed to befriend such a heavenly soul.

“we can have muffins, fruit punch, those weird tootsie-roll candies that you call them, and invite all of our friends over. a welcoming party of sorts, just for you. what do you say?”

“Please, you’re too nice,” you croak out, covering your mouth with your free sleeve. “But… thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”


	19. Star Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been debating about getting a tumblr or not. I've had one in the past, but I've used it for a week? Then dropped it. I didn't bother to learn how to use it until now. Been curious about it.

You were standing in front of Grillby’s house, your call still in process of being finished. “I’m going to get a nap to feel a bit better, so I’ll maybe send you a text when I wake up again?” He agrees, allowing you to hang up. The door knob was cold to the touch, but you let your hand float there regardless. You didn’t want to enter and have to explain to Grillby of your early appearance, which he might not expect.

Oh, what if he’s still at work? He must be at work. To confirm that suspicion, you turn the doorknob and peek inside. The living room had piles of books beside three opened books. Scribbles were done on them, notes stuck in between pages. Otherwise, it seemed clean and orderly. Not a sound was heard.

He must not be home.

Your gauge was showing you had one third of the power left, meaning you had a few hours to spare before you had to return back to your original universe. With this in mind you begin to wander around the house for any task or chores to do. The laundry was done, which included your old clothes, the beds were done, kitchen was cleaned, everything was dusted, and Grillby even made a few snacks with your name taped on top. This melted your heart.

“Oh you didn’t have to,” you mumbled at the sight of peeled oranges. Many other fruits and sandwiches were stored in their colorful containers, all inside the refrigerator shelve where dozens of containers had your name on top. On closer inspection, it’s as if he spent a good amount of time choosing food for you that could last a week. “No really, you didn’t have to,” your voice changed to that of sarcasm. 

You open the container with fresh peeled oranges inside, their aroma quickly spreading around you. Their sweet juices made you groan with pleasure, delighted to be eating in peace and alone. Or so you thought for a few minutes before your watch vibrated. Expecting it to be sugar Sans or Alphys, you quickly pull it out. 

It was Sans, and not the one from your universe either. It wasn’t sugarSans either.

Sans: “paps is worried about ya. you left without warning.” 

His words made you rethink to the events that preceded you from running out of their house. They were wince-inducing, and you stopped as you as you reached the memory where you began to talk to Alphys. Papyrus, unlike Sans, was possibly in his room. Little did you stop to think about him and it made you grow terrible. Did he worry and panic? Did he think you had something to do? Did Sans make up a story for him to be able to be at ease? Reading his text makes it seem as if he didn’t bother to cover your back. Why would he? After what has happened you doubt you could easily talk to him again.

You: “I needed to see Grillby is all. Tell him that I enjoyed the visit though. Don’t want him feeling bad or anything.”

You were reluctant to press send, but after a minute of debating it in your head, you grow the courage to do so. The minutes that passed were long and arduous, anxiety setting in immediately. While you didn’t expect him to communicate to you so soon after you had chickened out, you think about how he must be faring in his position. To sit there, or possibly standing, and look at his monster cell. 

Most importantly, how did he manage to contact you first?

The watch vibrated, popping out the reply he had made on the screen. Your eyes were closed, not wanting to see it. Emotions swirled inside you, making you feel like a naïve teenager dealing with drama. Except that this had to do with a skeleton.

Sans: “c’mon, you could do better than that. checked out grillby’s and didn’t see you there.”

You: “It’s probably because I got there before you checked it out.”

The sound of the door opening startled you, the pocket watch plummeting to your feet below. From the entrance of the house emerged Grillby, who was calmly studying you. He was wearing the same suit he’s been for work, and you wonder if Sans’ presence could have diverted him here towards you.

“Um, hello?” you squeaked, giving him a quick wave. 

“I was informed of what occurred earlier.” He spoke, taking off his glasses to give them a good wipe with his tissues. “He did not take it lightly, my comrade.” The individual he must be referring to is Sans, which made you frown and stare at the watch that has landed between your feet. You could tell he had sent a message back, but at this moment you didn’t feel like reading it.

“I feel bad about that. Wasn’t going to tell him so soon, but later. But then he found out since I wasn’t being careful and I just… I feel bad about it.” You lean back on to the seat you were in, your legs lifted off the ground to be hugged close to the chest. Grillby sighed and sat on the seat opposite from you, his posture rigid. 

“Brooding will not solve this predicament. Communicate with him and separate your emotions from the facts. It does wonders,” he advices, his eyes dropping to look at the watch beneath your body. “Albeit it seems he has done just that.” Your eyes look down as well, the holographic screen still flickering with life. With an unwilling hand you pick up the watch, reading what has been sent to you.

Sans: “got here as soon as you left. waited with my pal grillby and you didn’t show your face up.”

You glance at Grillby, not knowing how to reply or how to act next. “Maybe a call or another visit will do?” you ask, like you always would do with your own father. “No, sorry, this is my problem,” you quickly regret, not wanting him to feel obligated to help you in your dilemma. But he didn’t seem to mind when he responded to your question.

“Whatever you seem fit.”

The watch was beckoning you to respond with its flickering screen, your thoughts focused on your next course of action. Sans was on the other line, sounding displeased and confused. Running away from the problem was childish, and that’s just what you did, wasn’t it? If you had stayed and endured the unhappy emotions perhaps this could have been solved by now. Instead you were a coward and ran from your problems the moment they got too hard to endure. You didn’t want to be childish or a coward either.

“I’m so sorry for having made you leave your work in order to check on me. The bar is still waiting for you and I’m distracting you and-”

“Apologies for interrupting, but you must attend to my comrade. While I am fully capable of it myself, I would prefer if you confronted him. It will do you some good. It also will not be the first time you encounter this dilemma, correct? This is only the first in seven universes.” His words were encouraging. It was just what you needed.

You turn off the screen and close the lid, your hands no longer wavering from uncertainty. “Yes, I do… but I don’t know where he is. Oh, yeah, I should have asked him, right? Yeah I’ll go do that.” But before you do, you give him a quick hug. What was intended to be a quick hug turns into that of a long embrace. Despite being engulfed in flames he was rather lukewarm when he accepted your embrace. His hands ruffled your hair, your face digging into his torso. 

“Thank you for being like my father. I do miss him anyway… and if all doesn’t go according to plan, then I know who to go to for the rest of my life,” you surprisingly cheer yourself up, as well as startling Grillby. “Although I should have asked you if that was something that’s even possible-OOF” you let out a blast of air when he squeezes you tight, lifting you off the ground as he let out a loud bark of laughter.

“You are welcome any time, _____. I will always receive you with open arms,” he happily said, carefully letting you slump out of his hold. “But, as you have stated, I must attend to my bar. Farewell and I hope you fare well.” With that said, he left his house in a hurry. You make your way out the house as well, locking the door in the process. It was seemingly quiet again, the sound of distant chats and birds being the only sounds you could hear. It was still cold too, your breaths creating clouds in front of your lips. 

You knew what you had to do. He was waiting for you, whether in person or via text, and you couldn’t keep him waiting any longer. Grillby’s advice was correct, and you had to confront him one way or another. If you ran away this time, what will prevent you from doing it the next time? Don’t to be the shy and introverted girl you used to be. You needed to make a change, and this first step might help you in that. However, deep inside you were somewhat afraid. What if it was thanks to this cowardly personality of yours that the Sans from your universe had also changed and become who he is? Was he tired of your antics and thereby couldn’t deal with them any longer?

Whatever the case may be, you won’t let that happen here. Besides, you had other universes to jump to and a gauge to fill up soon, so you couldn’t waste too much time left. Perhaps this conversation will be able to work out the problem and you could continue being friends? If you were even friends to begin with, you just met him after all.

The snow blanketed the ground around you, the breeze slightly pushing you away from Grillby’s house. You didn’t know where to begin, or if you should text him for his location. Checking Grillby’s bar was an option, since he apparently went there to await your “appearance” you said you had made. That alone was enough to make you feel as if you were a bad liar, and you were.

You make your way through Snowdin, remembering the path you had taken to reach Grillby’s. It was a short path, trees and starry sky above worth reminiscing the past about. It was a short stay, you in this universe, but it is beautiful. Memories have been made, both good and bad, and you don’t regret having stumbled upon this place.

“heya,” a voice whispers into your ear, making you yelp from shock. Sans was standing there, his blue and yellow clothes illuminated by the sky lights. You take a quick step back, wanting to be at an appropriate distance before you utter a word.

“How did you know I was here?” you questioned, not expecting his presence so soon. You weren’t close to the bar, but you were a few minutes away from Grillby’s house.

“isn’t hard to pinpoint your soul from the others. it’s definitely got something different goin’ on for it.”

“Does it?” you respond, perplexed. You shake your head, trying to return to the reason you wanted to see him. “I guess it’s a good thing you found me. I wanted to… um, finish the chat we had last time. Clear things up you had worries and doubts about.” His cheery smile quickly changed to that of a frown, his pupils tracing your outline. 

“guess grillby caught up with you. heard you remind him of his daughter,” he reveals, meeting your gaze with intense eyes. “let’s hope he wasn’t just fantasizing, hm?”

“I say sorry a lot, so it might not mean a lot when I say I’m sorry, but um… sorry for having chickened out on you back there. I really am. Guess I’m a coward right?” you force out, compelling yourself to meet his gaze despite the drive not to.

“an adorable coward,” he smirks, nudging your shoulder. “wanna take a walk towards waterfall? get a good look at the scenery, get a feel for where you have to go when you need to return home? how about it? quality time with this sansation?” he easily breaks the awkward tension, making you finally smile. He smiles in return, happy to have succeeded. 

You could only stand there, the conversation having been completely different from what you expected. The delicate topics haven’t been touched yet, but at least it hasn’t started to become uncomfortable for you. “Sure, I have to know my way there anyway.” He happily trots along, leading the way through the town. For the first few minutes neither of you had started the conversation, instead you took a good look at the townsfolk and beautiful scenery this world has to offer. 

Aimlessly your eyes wander, trying to distract your vision away from Sans. Although he seems to have taken it very well, you didn’t. You still felt bad about the silly antic you pulled. However, it was a big step to run out and stumble upon him, facing the situation. Without Grillby you could have stayed at his house and sat on the guest bed while being a burrito with the blankets. 

Once you two had passed his house, you decide to be the first one to speak out, although with a quiet voice. “Do you have any worries or doubts? Questions? Or actually never mind that, let me tell you the story in my own words.” He didn’t respond nor look your way, which made you feel nervous, but it didn’t stop you from trying to connect with him. “A lot of this might seem like repetition, but here goes.” You take a few breathes and stretch your muscles out. “I am a human. My name is _____, a lot of people say I look younger and don’t act my age, but hey, I can’t blame them. I do act like a child sometimes and I should really change that… um, anyway, I was just a regular girl who was studying in a university, had a job in a bakery, had my own apartment. I was earning a good amount of money, making bread, had my own friends, loved my family, until one day.” 

A large patch of grass could be seen from the distance, Snowdin behind the two of you. Sans was still leading the way, facing away from you and his expression not in your range of sight. “I was closing the bakery, like I always do every night, and then I heard the sound of the cabinet door in the storage room creaking open,” you describe your past. You hesitated, the next few words constrained out of you. “So, like a lot of people would, I went to check it out. Maybe it was broken and unhinged, maybe there was a pest problem, or a burglar. But it was none of those things… what I saw that day… I c-can’t explain it.”

You twirled your own fingers together, jittery as you lingered on the past. “All I saw was a shadow, sparks of light, my heart racing when I realized it wasn’t my shadow, but a silhouette of somebody else. It wasn’t… human. I didn’t even see it move. It’s as if one second the shadow was in front of me, the next it was beside me. Sparks of different colors would accompany it, and before I know it, I felt dizzy and heavy. And… I fainted. That was the last time I was ever on the surface.”

Sans stopped in his tracks, finally revealing to you his expression. He was interested, engulfed by the story. The stars beyond managed to darken most of his body, yet his pinprick pupils reflected the lights beautifully. “It doesn’t stop there either. When I had woken up, I was… underground. That’s where I met Alphys, Undyne, and Sans. As you know, the ones from my universe. They saved me from whoever that shadow was, who apparently dragged me down the barrier-” His expression hardened, perturbed. “They didn’t know who it was either, but they nursed me back to health. I was alive, and underground with them in their laboratory… but I couldn’t return home. Until they broke the barrier, I was stuck. Days turned into weeks, which then turned into several months. I can’t say a year has passed, since by then I had stopped caring about it. By the time I would be freed, the surface would have changed too much for me to hop back in.”

“it isn’t unheard of, monsters and humans passing through the barrier like that… but why you. someone with that power… and they chose you to take with them.” He paused, staring through your chest, prompting you to cover it with your sleeves out of embarrassment. A slight blush erupted on his cheeks once he realized you had the wrong idea. “nah, just lookin’ at your soul is all,” he defends himself, but it didn’t make you drop your sleeves from their respective places. 

“My soul… is it nice? You’ve mentioned it more than once. I know monsters have the ability to see it, but well, I’m a human. Don’t know how,” you asked, mumbling it slowly. The curiosity was burning within you the more you asked that question to yourself. The only time you had the chance to get a good luck at it was during your training. For a split second, when you were at your weakest, you defend without knowledge or control over it. 

He returns to gazing through your chest, seemingly where your soul happens to lie. Knowing what he was trying to look, you drop your sleeves in hopes it would help clear his view. You could see his expression slowly warm up, his smile widening. 

“It’s… beautiful. The color of… my slippers.” You quickly diverted your eyes to his slippers. They were pale blue in color and dotted with stars. What had started as a romantic voice had ended with an awkward moment of staring at his slippers. “didn’t think that color, did ya? nah. it ain’t that color.” You blink, looking down and attempting to see your soul as well. You had no idea how. “it’s… everything at once. hard to describe but… pleasing to the eyes, calming, soothing, and everything nice. soul screams innocence. like… like…” He stops, pondering about what word to use. From what he’s describing you had the name of whatever he might be referring… but it’s at the tip of your tongue. 

He looks up, eyes widening at the sight of the cosmos beyond. “…just like a star.” 

“Really?” you were left in awe, admiring the oddly-described color of your own soul by looking above you. This made you grow warm and with joy, hugging yourself at the thought. “Thank you for telling me. I should be the one answering questions, not you.”

“heh, don’t mention it. hey, wanna take a shortcut?” You knew what he meant by that, and you’re sure he knows you do. After all, he was aware you were hanging out with a Sans of your own, who has most likely shown you portals through space and time.

“Yes please, if you don’t mind. I actually have to return to um, fill up the pocket watch with power anyway… and, if you can, give Grillby a call saying I returned home? He knows about all this, but I think you already knew that.” With the flick of his wrist he opens a portal with Waterfall visible on the other side. The edges of the portal were hissing and snapping, sparks of blue and violet light constantly being seen jumping about. “Thank you, again. For everything. I feel better knowing we’re back to being friends… we’re friends, aren’t we?” you ended it with a question, leaping through the portal to land on Waterfall. He lifted his hand and waved merrily, winking.

“hey, you already know the answer to that one.” He gives you a last, solemn glance before he closes up the portal, settling you in Waterfall for good. The sounds of trickling water fill the atmosphere, which was humid to begin with. Gems glowed in the darkness of the caverns, appearing as if they were stars themselves. Echo flowers, or you believed they could be called the same here, dotted the beautiful scene. 

You walked around, getting a good feel for the Waterfall in this universe. When you did come across a good destination, which was by a bench and a cute flower, you reveal your pocket watch. With a swift hand, you manage your way through the holographic screen and dial Alphys. 

This location looked promising, and rather mesmerizing. It reminded you of the trip you took with Alphys to Waterfall. Similarly, there was also a bench and an echo flower standing beside it. 

Soon you were listening to Alphys’ instructions, holding out the pocket watch in order so she could begin initiating the new portal for you to travel through and from this world. The watch sparked to life, a bright light suddenly filling the room and blinding you. Grunting at the blindness, you keep the watch in its place, not budging. 

“T-there, all done!” she hyped up, allowing you to open a portal at last. The watch pulsated to life, causing the air in front of you to suddenly rip open. A thin line was drawn in front of you, your eyes mesmerized by the way the portal was opening. It spread itself open, slowly revealing the laboratory you’re familiar with on the other side. Alphys was impatiently waiting for you, her phone in hand and trembling. Sans was nowhere to be seen, which was a relief knowing that you didn’t feel like starting a chat with him this soon in your return.

You were back home, or what you didn’t wish you would call home.


	20. About Time I Grow Enough Balls To Hug Somebody I'm Afraid Of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience with this story, as well as the comments and kudos! It drives me to write more! :D

“O-oh you must be exhausted!” Alphys said in a hurry, closing the portal behind you using the dials near it. “A-and you did come b-back early, right? Oh my god.” You quickly glance at her, worried from the sudden shift of tone she had made. “Did you come b-back early because… er,” she trails off, blushing. “You already got close enough to him that you could t-touch his s-soul?”

“Not yet, really,” you casually responded, prompting Alphys to gasp. The reason she had asked was mainly because she had reached a point in her self-drawn manga where she wanted to pair you up with anybody. Even the Sans you’ve just met from this past universe. She was desperate. “It will take a while, if not, months for me to even get that close. Not even. I didn’t even think about touching sugarSans’ soul and we’ve been hanging out and talking for months.”

“That’s good! It’s very personal… I w-would never let anybody touch my s-soul that soon… it’s t-too soon… oh my god, Undyne almost t-touched it once… can you believe it?” she began to grow hysterical, reminding you of how she handled bad plot twists in anime.

You walk past her and pat her shoulders, taking a good look at the laboratory around you. “Tell me all about it. It’s the first time we ever talked about soul touching. And here I was thinking it was the usual hand holding… not something so,” you wave your arms as you talk, hinting at a sexual act. However, as Alphys was not human, she did not understand the subliminal message behind it. “…so intimate?”

“Oh my god. _____, oh my god. You have a lot to learn. Let me teach you,” she blurted out, rushing to your aid. She clasps your hands in her own, dragging you all the way from the laboratory to your room. It was cleaned and tidied up, which made you grow content about Alphys’ care for you. “Okay. W-we’re here… in your room… hahaha… y-you know... I really missed you. Sans d-doesn’t like watching a-anime, and I d-didn’t want to watch it by myself-”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to be nervous around me Alphys,” you hug, making her whimper. “I don’t mind if you cry either.” As if on cue, she began to sob. You rub your hands behind her back, making circles and trying to massage what you can manage.

Sans walks into your room, only to stop, stare, sigh, turn around, and walk back out. It annoyed you that he didn’t bother to close the door, which Alphys made sure it was always closed before she entered or exited your room. 

“I MEAN. YEAH. HELLO THERE, OLD FRIEND,” you hollered out, trying to make sure Sans had heard it loud and clear. He could have at least stopped to give you a quick wave, but he didn’t even do that. A sigh was all he could muster and it angered you. “Hey, I have a lot to talk about with you… I mean, after we talk about soul touching and all-”

“N-no,” she mumbled, barely audible through the sulking. You break the embrace, holding her face far enough for you to see her current state. “D-do you want to watch some a-anime instead?” she shyly suggested, to which you agreed with a nod. 

“As much as you want,” you whisper.

 

\--

 

You should have been more careful when you stated “as much as you want.” She took that seriously. It has been hours since she had started the first episode and you’re drained. The anime started off strong, but as the episodes droned on, you couldn’t help but start thinking about the friends you’ve made in the universe you had just stepped out of. You wonder what they could be doing now, and how they’re handling everything.

“So remember how last episode Michiko and Tai-Sama got together, right?”

“Uh huh,” she responded without thinking, completely absorbed by the fight scene that’s occurring right now. 

“When they were gazing into each other’s hearts and how Michiko got all excited, but Tai-Sama told her to get all serious?”

“Uh huh.”

“Can you start with that about how soul-touching works?”

She quickly pauses the anime, not wanting to miss any second of it. “I-it’s a lot more than that… w-we don’t even call it soul-touching like you do. There’s really n-no name for it… it’s just something we do when we t-trust each other without doubts.” She was about to start the anime again, but you interrupted once more.

“So is that how babies come from?” you blurt out, making her wince and blush. “I ask since I know humans are all the same, you know, anatomy wise and all… but you and Sans and the others… you all have different bodies and forms and it’s all magic and all,” you try to explain, stumbling over your own words. “If it’s too much then it’s okay, I can ask somebody else.”

“I’m g-glad you’re asking me this… b-but it’s the first time you’ve asked… are you getting very close to anybody… a-anybody I might know… oh my god. It’s Sans, isn’t it? Which Sans is it? Oh no. I need to update something. It’s not correct anymore.” She started to panic, leaping out of the sofa and pacing back and forth. You quickly object.

“Oh, no! Not at all! If doing that is the equivalent of whatever we humans do, then oh, not even close! I don’t think I even will ever come that close unless I tell you directly! You’re the first I’ll even suggest that idea to anyway… so… yeah. Sorry this got awkward very quick. Didn’t mean for it to,” you sheepishly said, giving her an apologetic smile. She happily accepted, taking out the VHS from the device.

“Oh uh… I have something to t-talk to you about. It’s a-about the… idea with extracting magic.” You were all ears, sitting up straight and your eyes focused intently on Alphys. She noticed the sudden attention she was gaining from you, making her take a quick glance around to make sure nobody was nearby. “If you want t-to make that happen… we need to act fast. There’s no time to wait.”

You were ecstatic she finally had something to say over the large text you'd sent her about an alternative to your mission, the magic-extracting act least. “What do you mean? Are you saying we can actually do that?!?” you whispered rather loudly, causing Alphys to nervously signal for you to quiet down. “Oh sorry, um… but… we can?!?” She rushed to your side, pulling out a small notebook and a pen to scribble with. You inch closer until you couldn’t no more, your shoulders and thighs touching. Normally Alphys would blush and make you laugh in return, but this was not the case. Your attention was all on her notebook, her hand floating above it.

“T-there’s something you should know… we d-don’t need to extract their magic, b-but Sans didn’t want you to k-know that.” You frown at the thought of Sans hiding such secrets. And to think you were getting closer to him. “He d-didn’t want to tell me why. I have my t-theories but… I don’t know why.” She begins to draw. “If you can b-befriend the other v-version of us… Papyrus, me, Undyne, Asgore, Sans… t-then… ask them for t-their magic to be p-put in a container… t-then we use their magic, w-we can have enough to break the barrier! We t-think… it’s o-only a theory.”

“Good enough of a theory to me,” you conclude the conversation, standing up. “Thank you for telling me. And don’t worry, the secret is safe with me,” you mumble to her, helping her up. “But why do we need to hurry up?” you question, her explanation not having answered that.

“O-oh… d-did I forget that? Oops… hahaha… okay, um.” She puts away her notebook and pen, her eyes trying to look for the VHS tape. “Sans a-already has a p-plan B… if you d-don’t end up getting the magic in time then… he’ll do it himself… but I feel like there’s something else he w-wants… because think about it, _____. He has the power to do that right now. He can use the pocket watch and extract their universe’s magic after researching its weaknesses and data… he c-can break the barrier right a-after too… b-but he sent you instead and… it d-doesn’t fit. T-there’s something else he wants.”

After rummaging through the living room, the object was found. The VHS was under the cushion. 

“So you want me to hurry because in any second he could just take over and break it himself? I do agree though, it sounds odd to be sending me when he has all the power in his disposal. We just don’t know what he’s waiting for… maybe he’s building something and, until that’s done, he’s using me? Maybe he’s waiting for me to do all the work, only for him to snatch it all up the last minute? I don’t know.”

“A-as soon as we wake up t-tomorrow morning… we n-need to send you to the n-next universe.”

“Hey there, I didn’t even finish hanging out in the space-themed universe yet. I was practically there for only two days,” you protested, feeling a sense of pain thinking about not seeing Grillby for a few days, or weeks. She shakes her head, walking out the living room. “Where are you going? Don’t leave me talking to myself!”

“S-sorry… um, I need to find Sans s-so that he can recharge your w-watch.” With a grimace you follow her, your hands fiddling with the pocket watch. “If w-we don’t hurry… you m-might not see your friends a-alive,” she warned, making you bite your lip at the grim thought. “If y-you want, I c-can try to build a way for you to c-charge the watch without Sans’ help… I t-think I can-”

“Yes please!” you step in front of her, eyes gleaming with delight. “You have no idea how much that will help me… I will have more time to utilize and befriending will be quicker! I know I sound impatient, but if what you say is true… every second is precious.” She smiles in response, nodding. The truth of the matter was that you didn’t want to interact with Sans. 

“I’ll t-try my best!” She fixes her glasses, more confident than before.

“You’re the best Alphys,” you enthused.

“done chatting away?” a voice comes between the two of you, making you turn towards the source. It was none other than duffle coat Sans. He was glaring at you, the same annoyed face plastered on to him. Rarely did he display emotions, but when he did, oh did that make your heart flutter. “got a minute? need to hear the progress.”

“Sure. Alphys, here’s the pocket watch-Oh wait, no, I give it to you Sans, sorry.” You face palm yourself, pulling out the watch and handing it to the skeleton in front of you. “There’s not much to say? I entered and met a few monsters there. There was Grillby, Papyrus-” he winced at the name, making you notice the slurry of colors that, in only one second, had covered his left pupil. It’s gone now. “-Sans, and that’s it I believe. Surprisingly I didn’t come across anybody else. But I only spent two days-ish there to begin with, so it’s not surprising.” After having the pocket watch extended towards Sans the entire time, the skeleton never bothering to grab it, you retreat it back to your pocket. However, he easily teleports behind you and snatches it off of your hands before you had the time to put it away.

“Really. You could have grabbed it when I was handing it to you,” you grumble, but he ignores your whining. He walks away from Alphys, who was standing there absorbing the conversation. You waved at her, not wanting to part ways with her so soon.

“I-it’s okay… I’ll be here w-waiting!” she yells out from afar, giving you a delayed hand wave.

With that having been seen, you jog back to where Sans was, catching up with him. He was walking awfully slow, as he always does, while examining the contents of your watch. His fingers never thread through your messages, but he didn’t mind snooping down everything else. It was here where you saw him enter screens you never thought you could reach. 

“Hey, how do you get to that screen? I didn’t even know you could get there,” you question, skeptical. After having heard Alphys theories, you weren’t as willing to trust anything from Sans. You shouldn’t be trusting him, period. He’s done enough to deserve no trust, but yet you give it to him anyway. At times you question yourself as to why. It’s just something natural, something you just give to him without thinking. 

“none of your business.” You follow behind him instead of beside him now. His attitude made you grimace, the expression still on your face. He had no need to respond like that, but you didn’t know what you expected. This has happened several times already and yet you ask as if he would actually answer your questions.

“Can I ask you a question you will actually answer?” you asked with uncertainty, making him halt. “I um, was curious as to why send me to do these things? You know, exploring these universes and possible collecting magic and all… but why me? You have even more power than I do, better knowledge, better combat skills, and you just overshadow me so much,” you explain to him, who was glaring at you in annoyance.

“annoying, aren’t you?” he growled, making you lose confidence in yourself. You placed your sleeves close to your chest, which was a reflex you always did to his harsh words. “you’re a human who can easily tap into the feelings of others. i can’t hunt them. they can dodge me due to being their mirror image.” He opens the lid to the pocket watch, his finger slightly pressing down on the gauge. A small thread of magic started to leak out of his finger, the watch absorbing it greedily. There was a slur of colors, the majority of it blue. “you, however… with trust they are foolishly capable of giving you everything. i would know.” Once the gauge was full, he closed the lid and threw it at you lazily. You managed to grab it, albeit almost falling in the process.

“Um… are we still friends?” you suddenly asked without thinking, putting your heart on your sleeve. He seems to wince at the question, his pupils suddenly coming back to life. This caught your attention, making you grow just as surprised. But just as quickly he showed emotion, that of despair and confusion, his pupils reverted back to their usual selves. Emotionless and seemingly annoyed at you. 

“stop wasting my time and do your task,” he responds, turning around to begin walking away from you. Determination began to fill you seeing how you managed to instill some sort of emotion into him. Was he trying to hide it? Is there a reason why he’s always the way he is? 

You jogged towards him. Mustering all the courage you had, you quickly wrap your arms around his skeletal body, holding on tight, your eyes closed, your fingers trembling, your watch vibrating at the wrong moment.

“stop that,” he whispered, slowly pushing your arms away. Out of curiosity, you break away and make your way in front of him… to see tears falling down his cheeks, eyes closed, hands in his pockets. 

“Oh no, did I do something?” you shoot out, shocked. This is the first time you’ve seen him in this state, and it’s detrimental to you. 

But it didn’t last long. He opened his eyes and seemed startled to see you standing in front of him, which made his face grow to that of anger and confusion.

“i told you to stay away,” he hissed, opening a portal immediately after.

“W-wait, why are you hiding things from me?” you blurted out, but he was gone. He had gone through the portal and left you talking to yourself. Your legs felt weak, your heart throbbing, sick to your stomach, mind hazed. What had just happened seemed unrealistic to you, and this only caused more questions to arise.


	21. Gosh Damn Alphys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is rather short, but I'll put up a chapter later on today :)

“He showed emotion and it was… different. I couldn’t think, I just suddenly lost it. I mean, I wouldn’t have if it was that of happiness or something nice but… he was crying. And I’m feeling terrible now,” you panicked, holding the holographic screen in front of you.

“nah don’t feel like that. just caught him weak to the bones,” sugarSans slyly added a joke, eeeeeey-ing right after for effect.

“Haha, yeah. I guess I did. But it does make me wonder why he chose to be the way he is. I don’t know that much about him other than he is a completely different Sans than when I first met him when I fell down here.” You were in your room now, trying to sleep. Alphys had tucked you into bed despite your protests that you’re a woman now and can sleep late. Sans was nowhere to be found. The lights were out and the anime glow-in-the-dark stickers above you supplied you with the necessary light.

“heh, lately i haven’t been of much help, have i?” he asked, catching you off guard.

“No, yes you have! I mean, yes as in you’ve been a lot of help! You’re like my emotional anchor, the skeleton I go to when I feel bad or need somebody to talk to… that and you’re like, my best friend bro. You’re the best thing I’ve ever had,” you correct him, unable to hide a blush from your cheeks. “I know it’s not the same as being here in person, but I promise I’ll find a way to get to you-no, wait, sorry, forgot promises weren’t your thing, uh, um, er-”

“i like that promise though!” he blurts out, making you giggle. “i’m also tryin’ to find a way to open a portal between us, so hopefully one day we can eat candy together with paps. what do ya say?”

“Sounds perfect to me,” you agree, your eyes heavy. “Although I think I’m going to sleep for now. Going to enter a different universe maybe? Don’t even know… I’ll update you through messages I guess,” you drone out, softening your voice as the time passes. You could hear him chuckle, Papyrus’ booming voice barely audible on the other side. It appears he is scolding Sans for throwing away a bucket-full of sugar-free candy.

“sweet dreams, _____,” he whispered, his velvet voice ringing through your ears as he hung up. Luckily the watch would turn off the holographic screen when left idle for ten minutes, so you didn’t bother to manually turn it off. Instead you turned and found a comfortable position to sleep in, not wanting to be disturbed of your beauty sleep.

You grew up in a nice family, the oldest of two children. Your younger brother was following in your footsteps, admiring your drive for education and studying habits. Athletically and socially you were horrid, but at least you could show off your good grades. When it came to your parents, they were the best you could ask for. While you have no preference, you came out to be more like your father. He was a respected doctor who somehow managed to tap into others and know their feelings and what was wrong. He had the golden touch, the golden finger many would say, and was also given a more disturbing nickname that you never bothered to ask him. 

He was the man without a history.

 

\--

 

“OH MY GOD!”

You shot up, feet firmly on the ground, arms waving around in an attempt to save you from whatever attack you were being pummeled with. However, you were not being attacked. 

The blankets were sprawled on the ground, your pillow hanging off the edge of the bed. You had just fallen off. What you felt was just the result of a bad landing. 

“_____!” a worried voice yelled from down the corridors. Embarrassed, you quickly threw the blankets on to your bed and fixed your hair. Alphys burst through the door, sweat falling down her face. “A-are you o-okay?!?”

“Yes! Just… fell out of my bed.”

“O-oh… is that it?” she awkwardly forced a smile, her hands wiping the beads of sweat off her brows. 

The morning was calming and not too eventful. You had washed your clothes that were Grillby’s and ate a good bowl of stale breakfast. There was nothing to clean, as always, and Sans was experimenting in a room you could never figure out how to enter. Alphys was preparing your lunch, clothes, necessities, and even you’re a medical kit for you to take once you go back to your universal hopping. You insisted that she didn’t need to do any of those things, that you were fully capable, but she did them anyway. And you were happy she did.

Then the time arrived for you to go through the portal. 

“_____, c-come here!” Alphys beckoned at you from the other side of the room. You did as you were told, giving her a look of confusion and curiosity. “Omg,” she began as you approached. Once you’re close enough to hear her whispers, she grabs your pullover, which Grillby had given you and you adored, and leans in close. “Sans a-asked if you were d-doing okay,” she whispered. You gave her a perplexed look, nodding casually. 

“Really?” you mumbled back, surprised by the revelation. 

She gasps, fixing her glasses she had messed during her approach towards you. “_____, he asked if you were doing okay… he’s never done that. Does he even know he said that?” she starts to talk to herself near the end, her hands firmly placed on the sides of her skull. She looks as if it was too much to bear, her eyes focused on the empty space beside you.

“What did you tell him?” you asked, curious. If that was true, then the sudden attempt to get closer to him yesterday must have finally worked. After all these months, forcing your emotions down his throat must have finally chipped off a piece of ice between the two of you. 

“W-what did you think? I s-said you’re d-doing good. And then he’s all like ‘oh ok.’ And t-that was it-”

“hurry up,” Sans grumbled from the other side of the laboratory, prompting Alphys to give you a quick glance before dashing past you. You followed, thinking back to the events of yesterday afternoon. Maybe if you had hugged him longer, could something more have happened? Knowing he was beginning to open up makes you feel as if all those attempts weren’t in vain. What if it wasn’t until last afternoon where it was finally broke on him? Perhaps he’s definitely noticed, but there was a reason behind his withdrawal? You don’t know, but you’re willing to keep trying.

Alphys was quickly typing up a storm on to the portal’s computer, which was her usual checkup to see if everything was in working order. You pulled out your watch in the meantime, sliding the dial on the side of the watch to see every single heart available. Every other heart except the red one was untouched, never utilized in your universe-traveling shenanigans. 

“O-okay… this time we’re going to have you g-go to the universe using t-the yellow heart. Are you ready?” You quickly slide your hand across the dial, making the hearts rapidly spin inside the watch in a blur and blend of colors. As it began to slow down, you made sure to note where the yellow heart was in reference to the heart before and after it. 

Coincidentally, it had slowed down right on the yellow heart. “I’m ready,” you mumbled, afraid of the unknown awaiting before you. It wasn’t as overwhelming as the first, but still gut-wrenching. These are completely different individuals in a new universe. You were starting in a blank slate, given a new opportunity to introduce yourself correctly into this new world. Hopefully you didn’t make a fool out of yourself like in the past universe.

“stay safe,” he whispered, looking away. Your uneasy expression changed to that of a hopeful grin, making your eyes glitter despite the artificial lights of the laboratory. He was cracking quicker than you thought.

“I will!” you cheerily replied, a new sense of confidence instilled in you. “And… I guess this is goodbye for a while, right? Until… two days-ish from now?” you guessed, motioning for Alphys to give you a hug. She happily obliged, her short stature causing her head to lie on your chest. “I’ll give you a quick call when I need anything, okay?”

“Of course! I’ll b-be here for anything you n-need!” she squeaked out, breaking the hug. “A-and be careful out there.” She smirks, her glance quickly shifting from you and Sans, making you slightly blush at the message she was trying to get across. 

“Well, I’m off.” The two scientists behind you intently watch you as you hold your watch out in front of you. You close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, double-check to see if you have your belly chains with your free hand, and head drops down. 

Sans begins to walk away, his footsteps echoing throughout the metallic walls of the laboratory. Alphys was waiting anxiously, her eyes full of worry and fear as she clutched her notebook in order to relieve some stress. 

And you took a step forward-

“_____!!!!” Alphys blurted out, but it was too late. The portal was placed parallel to the floor, causing you to literally walk into the portal and fall straight to the ground, face first. The portal was no longer there, your painful groans echoing through the odd caverns you were thrown into. 

“This really hurts,” you whine, pushing yourself so that you were no longer facing the ground but the ceiling. There were stone walls around you, the faint smell of apple cedar hanging in the air. A tree was looming before you, its leaves having cushioned your fall. They were the color of pumpkins and reminded you of autumn, the season where marshmallows could be cooked in campfire sites. Except that it wasn’t fall. And there were no marshmallows nearby.

You were so comfortable on top of this foliage. It was really comfortable. So comfortable that you could close your eyes and snooze away. “But no, can’t,” you fussed, forcing yourself to sit up. Right away you noticed a shadow in the distance, making you freeze. Neither the shadow or you budged, your eyes focused on the shadow’s outline in the distance. Their size was small, but despite that you still felt the end of your-

Oh it’s just a frog. It leaped into a source of light, making you sigh in relief. You were sitting down on the foliage, both of your hands firmly on the ground, your knees bent and ready to act if another shadow were to appear from the blue. A few leaves were stuck in your hair, ruffling every time you moved. They were also stuck to your clothes.

You stood up and quickly picked off the leaves from your hair, not wanting to be seen with unruly hair in this universe. But you didn’t last long. Your head started to grow heavy, dizziness taking over, legs trembling to the sudden feeling of coldness overtaking your body. The harsh fall from the ceiling to the ground could be the culprit, you believe, that’s causing you to feel weak. 

The tree near you was the closest you could reach before your legs started to give in. Not wanting to fall to the ground again, you slump down the tree’s bark and sit on the foliage underneath. Shadows began to appear around you, but at this point in time you could care less. The colors around you were getting blurry, the sounds distant. With a faint heart, you close your eyes and block out all stimuli around you. 

But before the darkness took over, faint and distant, you heard a comprehensible voice. “Oh! Are you okay? Human?!? Please, speak to me!”

You had no time to respond or react.


	22. MWEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am! Giving you two chapters! Not because I totally-said-I'd-put-up-two-last-time-and-I-completely-forgot-I-said-that.
> 
> You're introduced into the world of Underswap, for your information. Enjoy ~

As a child you were one filled with energy and kindness. Your father allowed that to blossom, giving his own advice and time to nurture you. He wasn’t the only one however, you also had a mother who adored you and aided in your education. But neither could prepare you for the day you had nearly fallen to your death from a cliff. While you don’t like remembering, it happens to come up in your dreams a lot. It’s vividly shown and you can’t help but notice the oddities every time.

What if your dream was showing you the truth that you’ve been wanting to avoid? It was a clear sunny day; your father was accompanying you up the side of a cliff. Mother was in the car, taking care of your little brother. As a child you were imaginative and fearless, so walking up the cliff and looking down wasn’t out of the ordinary for you. But you were clumsy. That was something your father knew, and when your foot slipped from the very end of the cliff, his heart stopped. 

Your memory wasn’t the best. All you could recall was seeing the ground approaching you quickly, then your vision was completely covered by a red film of color. A red, magical, transparent, sparkling film was covering you, and you couldn’t help but gasp in awe as you noticed yourself floating right above the ground. “_____!” your father would shriek, his footsteps heavy as he approached you from below the cliff. These moments were the ones you believed were unreal. Moments fabricated by your own mind to cause your dreams to be memorable, but what if they weren’t. What if your memory was intact and you were simply reliving these events? What if your magic had a different source? What if.

The darkness in your mind and vision was slowly allowing light in, voices and your sense of touch returning. Your thoughts were interrupted as you began to make out the voices in your blurred vision. Soon, the blurred out figures in your vision were becoming clearer, their colors popping into sight. It took a minute, but your vision finally returned. Your head was aching, body sore, hands cold, and lips burning.

“Oh! Are you awake young one?” the voice of… Asgore asked of you. Your vision was not playing tricks with you, you hope, for Asgore was standing before you beside the bed you were laying on. His blue eyes complimented his blonde hair, reminding you of the Asgore you know from your own time. The catch here was that he was wearing what Toriel would normally wear… making you appear quizzical to his presence. “Do not worry about me, I mean no harm to you,” he responded to your expression, grabbing a glass of water from the bedside table and handing it to you.

“I… um, where am I?” you asked, pushing the covers off of you. “I think I fainted by that one tree and then I heard voices… wait, was that you?” you suddenly asked, recognizing the same voice from before as the same one from this man. He nodded, his hand still extended and holding the glass for you. 

“Yes. I found you sprawled near the front of my house. And… I could not let such an innocent soul perish, so I took you in and nurtured you back to health.” He smiled as you finally accepted the glass of water, drinking it with vigor. “And thirsty as well, apparently.” 

“S-sorry to have taken your time,” you apologize to the man aiding you. “I… I fell. Don’t know how, don’t know why, but I fell and got lost and started to feel weak and… here I am I guess?”

“Here safe and sound,” he added. You finished the glass of water, pouting to know that it had barely quenched your thirst. Asgore definitely noticed. “Would you like some tea instead?”

Without an answer he began to leave the room, leaving the door slightly open. You sat there for a few minutes, taking all of this in. You were in a universe where Asgore was doing Toriel’s role, making you grow curious as to what else this universe had in store for you. This is as far as you’ve seen and you’re already in awe. You definitely had to tell somebody about this.

Your hands dig in your pockets, rummaging for the pocket watch you were carrying. The more you searched, the more frightened you were becoming. It wasn’t in your left pocket, nor in your right. It wasn’t on your bed or on the bedside table. It wasn’t in its drawers or on the floor nearby. You scan the room around you, not seeing the watch in sight. It wasn’t in your possession and you were terrified. 

“Oh no, I have to get that watch!” you shrieked, clumsily getting out of bed. You almost fall, but you manage to hang on to the table to prevent yourself from hitting the floor. Barefoot, you dash around the room, looking for any possible place the watch could be. There was no watch in the chest filled with toys, or the closet, or box containing figurines, or shoe box, or garbage can, or underwear drawer, or under the bed, or on any desk, or even behind the furniture. It wasn’t in the room at all. 

You carefully peek your head out the door, making sure to open it as to not create any creaking noises. Nobody was in the hallways in view, giving you an opportunity. With trembling legs, you quickly dash out the room and check the furniture in the hallway. There was no watch by the pots, the plants, the small tables, or inside the drawers around. Seeing as how it’s not in the hallway either, you run towards the closest room you have not checked yet. 

The sounds of footsteps panic you, making you slam open the door in front of you with a yelp. You swiftly close the door, your back to the room before you. Nervous, you place your ears against the wooden door, making sure the footsteps weren’t approaching.

The sound of a body moving on the bed behind you made you freeze, your thoughts blank. Slowly, and nervously, you turn your head to see who was causing the noises behind you.

“How did you get in here?” Papyrus spoke with a serious tone. He was wearing a red pullover hoodie, dark green shorts, and the common red and white shoes. His eyes looked at you skeptically, his hands in the front pocket of his pullover. “Huh. You’re pretty quiet, aren’t ya?”

“N-no, just that, I didn’t expect you to be so… different here?” you said without thinking, your back now against the door. “Or, no, I mean, uh… hello!” you try to change the subject, smiling sheepishly. He doesn’t seem amused, a stern look on his face. The Papyrus here was nothing like the Papyrus from the other universes you’ve met. In fact, he was the complete opposite. Then again, recalling the picture Alphys had shown you, you shouldn’t be surprised if everybody is different here.

“Stay here, don’t move,” he finally said, quickly teleporting out. You stared in awe, not realizing Papyrus had those abilities as well. Minutes pass as you try to wrap your head around the new Asgore and Papyrus, your body slowly sliding down the door. It wasn’t until you heard louder footsteps that you jump to your feet, remembering why you were out and about in the first place. 

You rummage through this room’s contents, only to grow concerned that it was nowhere to be found here either. The sound of the door opening made you quickly turn, closing the drawer you were searching through. It was Asgore and Papyrus… and Sans? Was that Sans? It couldn’t be. He was the same short skeleton of always, but he looked nothing like you’d expect. He was wearing blue boots, blue soft pants, a long blue scarf, and a white shirt. Both his eyes were blue and visible, unlike the others who seem to have white pins as pupils. His expression was that of wonder as he studied you.

“Do not be afraid, human. I promise we won’t harm you,” Asgore aimed the last part at Papyrus, who rolled his eyes in response. Asgore entered the room, kneeling down in order to be at eye level with you. “Is this what you are searching for?” His hands opened to reveal the pocket watch, making you grow relieved at the sight. “Take it. It is rightfully yours.” Without hesitation, you quickly make your way to Asgore, taking a hold of the watch you had thought you’d lost. 

“Thank you… I thought I lost it.” You smile at him as he stands up, patting your head in response. “If you want I can leave? I’m sorry to disturb you like that… and sorry that you had to look after me. I swear I didn’t mean to cause you trouble or-”

“Hello human! Hello! Hiya! Howdy! Hello!” a cheery voice interrupts amidst the apology, the source of the voice scrambling past Papyrus and beside you. “My name is Sans!” he introduces himself with excitement, grabbing a hold of your free hand and shaking it rather quickly. 

“Sans,” Papyrus calls, yet his brother appears not to listen.

“Areyoulonely? Isthatwhyyou’rehere?” he quickly asked, making Papyrus sigh in the background. He slowed down somewhat, now comprehensible. “Is that why Asgore healed you and saved you? Goodie! Let me help you too!” he kept shaking your hand, letting go once you began speaking your reply. Asgore bellowed out his laughter, happy to see somebody was greeting you politely.

“Sans? You’re Sans? I-” you stop quickly, forcing yourself to keep up a fake character. “Hello there! I’m _____, and yes! I wouldn’t mind you helping me! But… um, you see, I feel bad. I didn’t mean to pop in so rudely or unexpectedly.”

“Oh do not feel that way, you are not disturbing us in any way,” Asgore responded, Sans nodding frantically beside him.

“Yes! Nonsense!” he chimes, studying you and he dashed around you.

“Sans,” Papyrus tried once more, but he didn’t get a reaction. His brother was too entranced by the sight of you, another human, walking among the monsters. Stars bounced in his eyes, catching your attention. The only other Sans with such odd eyes are that of sugarSans with his heart-shaped pupils.

“Well… I don’t know what to say,” you flush, enjoying the attention and love you were receiving. You placed the watch close to your heart, smiling at the two in front of you. “But where could I stay?” Papyrus took out a pack of cigarettes, pulling one out and beginning to create a small fire.

Sans halted in front of you, giving you a wide grin. “What kind of question is that? Stay with me in my room!” Sans blurted out, making Papyrus drop his cigarette. Asgore smiled sweetly, his hand on one of your shoulders closest to him. “And don’t worry, you’re welcome here! Papyrus might pull some jokes on you, but if you need somebody to save you from his bad jokes, I’m here,” he explains, giving you a thumbs up.

“Sans!” Papyrus raises his voice, catching his brother’s attention. Sans gives him a sheepish smile, but Asgore doesn’t look as happy with Papyrus’ reaction. “Uh, heh, sorry gal, Sans’ room isn’t up for sale. Take mine instead. S’not like I need any sleep, so I don’t use it-”

“This room you mean?” you say, glancing around to see the mess. Your nose scrunches up at the sight of dirty shorts, socks, shirts, and uncleaned covers. “I don’t mind. I can live with this.”

“Papyrus why do you keep stealing my thunder?!?” Sans whines. 

“I am pleased to see you caring for our fallen human friend, Papyrus,” Asgore sweetly spoke, approaching the skeleton who looked as if he had regretted his decision. “Please treat our guest with respect and dignity… I am afraid it will not be easy for them once they see the real underground.” You glance at Asgore, curious to know what he means by that phrase. Is this universe not as kind to humans as the others you’ve gone to? If that was the case, you are used to it. However, now that you stop to think it through, they might be surprised to see that you’re used to the mistreatment. After all, it was a common thing in your universe.

“Hey, Asgore! Is it okay if I show our new friend around the house? We don’t want her to get lost in this small place,” Sans asked, making you giggle at the fact that he doesn’t think you’re capable of being able to get a sense of direction in this small house. Asgore nodded, making Sans punch the air with one strong fist in happiness. “Follow me human! We will explore this house and learn how to leave and enter my brother Papyrus’ room with ease!”

You laugh, unable to take Sans seriously at this point. “Y-yeah, sure thing!” you manage to let out before following his swift body out Papyrus’ room. A “thank you” escapes your lips when you pass Asgore, pleasing him as he then faces Papyrus. Papyrus’ cigarette was on Asgore’s hands, his face displeased with seeing such an object on the ground.

Without skipping a beat, Sans introduces you to everything in the house, and you mean literally. He doesn’t miss anything. He’s introduced you to one of the “sausage and corndog” plants lying around, his collection of spaceships, all the rooms, the kitchen, the stairs that he refuses to climb down on, the entrance, and some of the delicacies Asgore has made. 

“Isn’t Papyrus super amazing?!” he randomly blurted out in the midst of his tour of this small house, making you nearly drop the jar you were holding. He looked inspired, his positive vibe never-ending as he awaited your response. 

“He looks cool, so I can say that yeah. He even offered his room for me, although I wouldn’t know why since he didn’t look so excited when he met me, but it’s better than nothing,” you had explained. The vase you were holding slips out of your fingers, but Sans quickly jumps down to save it from impact. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize uh… yeah, I’m clumsy, sorry about that too,” you apologize with a pink tinge to your cheeks. 

“Good thing I was here to save the day, MWEHEHEHEHE!” he holds up the vase in victory, only for it to slip off his own fingers. The two of you stared at it, not budging, watching it fall and break. After a minute of registering what had happened, the two of you shriek in unison. 

“Oh my god I just broke a vase-”

“I think I can fix it! Alphystaughtmehowtofixvasesyesterday-”

“Are you sure Sans? I dunno, this looks like an expensive vase and all-”

“I read that glue and duct tape can solve this problem in a jiffy but-”

“What will Asgore say?!? Oh this probably costed a fortune I need to apologize-”

“-I never used glue but maybe I can use my brother Papyrus’ corndog money to buy another one-”

“Oh no, I need to go now,” you finally decide, letting Sans panic at the sight of the broken vase on his own. “I’ll be back! Don’t feel bad, it wasn’t your fault!” you hollered back at him. You rush towards the room you last saw Asgore and Papyrus-oof!

You ran into a hard figure. Your feet didn’t recover and you lost your balance, falling backwards into the carpet below. Groaning, you open your eyes to see Papyrus standing before you, surprised to see you. “Oh uh… hey! Is Asgore nearby? I kind of need to apologize to him and all-”

“Didn’t even notice over how quiet you two were,” he smirked, making you flush from embarrassment at the thought. “Hey, bro, don’t worry ‘bout the vase,” he walks past you, trying to cheer up his own brother. “Didn’t like the vase anyway.”

“Oh? What would be the problem here?” Asgore’s voice entered the hallway, his large figure leaving the room he was just in. You quickly jump up, rushing to him.

“I broke your vase and I’m sorry,” you quickly apologize, immediately bowing down. “I will buy you another one, or work if you prefer.” Asgore’s laugh surprised you, your body no longer bowing to the king of the underground. 

“I have plenty of vases to replace that with. Do not feel as if you need to repay me, young one.” Your worried frown turned to that of a smile, his words reassuring. Papyrus seemed to have calmed Sans down as well, the two brothers laughing and cleaning the mess in the background. “Oh, and you have forgotten all about your tea!” he suddenly realized, jogging over to the room you were healed in. He came out of it with a cute cup of tea.

“No it’s fine… but I guess I can have some. I don’t mind drinking some nice tea right now,” you accepted, your hands now firmly on the warm tea. Asgore proceeded to rush to the kitchen, worried and speaking to himself as the sound of an angry pot started to increase in volume.


	23. Holy Shit An Evil Temmie. You Never See That Everyday.

The vase had been cleaned up and all of the shards disposed of. Sans was stuck to Asgore, admiring the way he was preparing a batch of cake with the use of a pot and odd ingredients. His questions were never ending, yet Asgore appears to enjoy that aspect about him. Every answer given had the same amount of enthusiasm and joy as the last. 

Papyrus, on the other hand, was sticking to your side. Asgore had tasked Papyrus with getting you comfortable while the cake was being made. At first you felt uneasy, but you started to convince yourself that this Papyrus was simply a taller, and more intimidating, version of Sans. The photograph from days ago that Alphys had shown you perfectly portrays that. 

Another thing that has been biting your mind is the possibility of trying out the act of telling the truth. You didn’t want to lie to them like you did in the first universe, although it’s far too late now, but you wanted to tell them. You wanted to tell them the truth yourself instead of any of them eavesdropping on you. The truth wasn’t as bad as you imagined, either. You’re simply being told to visit different universes, explore them, and try to learn about their magic. 

“So uh, sorry about earlier,” Papyrus says, beginning the conversation while you were both sitting on staircase of the front door. Asgore was not allowing him to smoke inside, so he had to take his business outside. “Get bad vibes from humans.”

“And why is that?” you asked, curious. Your hands were playing with the little vegetation that was growing around the cement stairs. “If that’s okay to ask, of course.”

“Nah. It’s cool with me.” He stops to smoke some more, blowing a good amount of toxins into the air around you. Not a fan of the smell, your hands try to frantically blow away the toxic air. “Heh, long story really,” he begins, amused by your futile attempts to ward off the toxins. “See, you ain’t the first human to fall down here. We had plenty of others meet the same fate here. But, uh, the last one that fell down wasn’t… friendly. Asgore helped them out a bit, then I cut the human some slack and helped them out too. Didn’t go as planned tho.” He threw the cigarette on the ground below him, smothering it against the ground with his foot. “That kid was special. They really liked swinging that toy knife around. Killed off some poor souls that blocked their way. Least they spared though. Could’ve sworn they had it in them to scratch my bro. But,” he stood up, making you have to cock your head up to get a good view of his skull. “They didn’t. Kiddo didn’t give up wanting to go back home, an’ that’s what they did. Killed off the queen in the process,” he grumbled the last few words.

You stood up and followed him as he walked back into the house. “So are you guys living with Asgore now? Checking in for any humans that fall?”

“Uh, yeah, ‘s plan. He tried to take over the throne after Toriel died, but Alphys had already beat him to it. She started a rebellion of sorts. Wants to destroy humanity. Seems pretty serious about it too.” 

“Doesn’t sound too good… but um, is it okay if I tell you something? Or all of you, to be honest. I should have told you this from the beginning, but I was kind of under stress and nervous and all and stuff,” you were struggling to find the words, already nervous about spilling the truth. He glanced at you.

“Try me.”

“Okay um… well, the truth is… I’m not from-”

“FOOD’S READY!” Sans’ booming voice interrupted, making you flinch. “Asgore made some deliciously crafted cake! Just for you!” he beamed at you, although he seems to be the only one excited about the news. “Excited?! Because I am! Been hungry for a few minutes now. You too Papyrus! We can all eat together!”

“Yeah, we definitely will bro.” He pats his brother’s shoulder, entering the living room. Sans doesn’t move an inch until you enter the living room, his energy knowing no bounds as he trembles from excitement. The sudden burst of sweet scents hits your nose, making your mouth water. It definitely smelled sweet, but it didn’t compare to how it looked. It was placed on a small pedestal, the cake covered in white icing and decorated with blue flowers and details. To your amusement, there was also badly drawn figures on top of the cake right next to the masterly drawn flowers.

“It looks so delicious. Thank you for the cake!” You take a seat beside Asgore, the two brothers sitting on the other side of the dining table. “I also like to bake… although not sure how you do it down here. I would think you use different ingredients?”

“He used the best of the best!” Sans pipes up, the first to take a knife and snatch up his own slice of the cake. “Did you also notice I helped Asgore draw some masterpieces on to the cake? That’s supposed to be you, by the way.” You quickly check the cake once more, not seeing the resemblance between yourself and the badly drawn figurine. Papyrus snickered, Asgore gave you a warm smile while drinking tea, and Sans was already taking the first bite of the cake. It seemed like a nice family picture with the cake dabbed right in the middle of it. You were just thrown into it, with no history behind it… but it felt nice. It felt nice to be eating cake while the others were laughing and enjoying themselves.

“Was Papyrus a good host to you, _____?” Asgore questioned. You nodded in response.

“Yes he was.” He began to serve himself some cake, smirking when his gaze met yours. “Also told me about the situation down here… guess I’m not as welcomed down in the underground?” You smiled when you realized the sentence had rhymed. “It rhymes!”

Sans let out a groan, dropping the fork and knife. “Papyrus?!? Why are your bad rhymes and jokes rubbing off on her already???”

“What can I say? Gotta pass down the legacy bro,” he drawled, enjoying Sans’ quirky expression. “Besides, papa bear doesn’t mind it, right Gori?” 

“I would prefer if you did not call me by that nickname. It reminds me of the similar word going by gore.” Asgore carefully placed a slice of cake on a glass plate, only to hand it to you. “Please do not be afraid to have your own cake. Your hunger could be heard for miles.” Unfortunately, it was true. Your stomach had been growling and you hadn’t noticed over the small talk happening in front of you. You’re surprised Asgore had picked up on it.

“Oh thank you! Embarrassed but thank you, haha.” You don’t hesitate to take the first bite, the sweet taste melting in your mouth.

“I welcome humans with open arms,” Asgore finally responds to your question. “And while on this… it was a pleasure to meet you. You have been kind and patient with us so far. But, I am afraid my feelings are not reciprocated in everybody else.” He finally serves himself some. “I am blessed to have been accompanied to my old home by Papyrus and Sans,” he happily looks at the brothers, who smile in return. “They have also been a pleasure and saviors for me.” He leaned in close to you, his large hand covering his lips from the view of the brothers. “They have also been so kind as to buy me a few dozen more books for me to read. Unfortunately, I have already read them in my visits to Snowdin, but I greatly appreciate their generosity towards me.” 

Sans finishes his cake, licking his fingers. Papyrus had only taken a few bites and left to the kitchen. You could hear the sound of the refrigerator opening. Asgore was taking his first bite of the cake, signaling for you to eat your dessert. 

“I cannot have you leave this place and into the rest of the underground, _____. I hope you are aware of that,” he spoke after his fifth bite, making you look up at him with disappointment. “They will show no mercy to a human such as yourself. The last I would want is for you is to be hurt. Truthfully, if you must, let Papyrus and Sans accompany you.”

“Do not worry! I used to be a Royal Guard, you know. I have learned many skills and created many battle bodies to use so that when the time comes to protect my fellow human friend, I am ready! I will show you how great of a body guardian I can be,” he states, prideful and posing for dramatic effect. 

“But, please, avoid confronting anybody outside of this house. I am afraid that they might harm you,” Asgore added, determined to sway your hopes in traveling outside the house. 

Papyrus walks back into the living room, a glass jar of honey in hand. “Don’t sweat it Gori, we’ll keep an eye-”

“PAPYRUS,” Sans warned, leaping out of his chair.

“-socket for her.”

“WHY DO I EVEN TRY.”

“You know you love it.”

“Did you properly dispose of the cigarette, Papyrus?” Asgore asked, narrowing his eyes at the tall skeleton. He nodded, drinking the slow-moving honey out of the jar.

“You’re smoking again?!?” Sans spat out. “Every time you smoke you could be doing something productive!! You could have helped Asgore and I, the MAGNIFICENT SANS, draw _____ on the cake with icing!” he whined, making Papyrus chuckle.

“Don’t have the guts to quit.”

“UGH!!! I GIVE UP FOR NOW.” He takes another slice of the cake and angrily feasts himself, eating his worries and anger away. 

“Now now, we have _____ here witnessing our behaviors. Why not be modest and sincere?”

“No it’s okay, I don’t mind! I prefer it if you are all comfortable with me here, just like how I love being comfortable without worries,” you voiced your opinion to Asgore. He accepts your opinion and picks up the plates around the table. As he goes to the kitchen to wash the dishes you watch Sans devour the cake in front of him. “Guess you really like that cake, right? I thought it was very delicious too,” you chirp out. Sans pauses, crumbs and icing smothered around his teeth.

“Of course! Also, with the skills Asgore and Alphys are teaching me, I can surpass Asgore in his cake making skills!!! But they will never defeat the amazing taste of my tacos and burritos!” he replied. Suddenly he stops, eyes widening at a mental thought he had. You grow puzzled as he leans over the table to get a closer look at you. “Wait… you have NEVER tried my tacos and burritos? Impossible!!! We must fix that as soon as possible!” he suddenly panics, realizing that somebody has not tried his delicious tacos and burritos. You were surprised as well, not expecting this Sans to be a fan of tacos and burritos. 

“I will be waiting for that day then,” you replied, stepping out of your chair. “But if you don’t mind, I’m going to get some fresh air… you can make the tacos and burritos for me to try. And don’t worry, I’m not full juuuuust yet… so I’ll have enough of a stomach to eat whatever you make.”

“Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve heard somebody want to try my tacos and burritos.” His expression was that of tenderness and joy. “That means I have to make the BEST tacos and burritos! I will not disappoint you human! _____! Howeveryousaythatname!” He quickly made his way to the kitchen, immediately blurting out to Asgore about his new task.

“Hey,” Papyrus spoke out to you, finishing the last bits of honey. “Thanks a ton for putting up with my bro there. Cheers him up knowing there’s still kind humans out there. Keep it up for me.”

“Does it sound weird if I say that I feel as if I’ve known the two of you for… a long time? As if we’ve been friends before? Close ones?” You ask this not only because you want to throw hints due to the moment of truth-spilling having been ruined earlier, but also because you genuinely want to see how he responds. 

He gives you a faint smile. “Heh, won’t surprise me. I feel that way a lot too.” 

“It was just a random thought is all,” you state your reasoning for the question before leaving the living room. You also leave the house in general, going past the stairs and halting underneath the leafless tree. It was the perfect spot to start a conversation.

Your watch had received messages throughout the course of the meeting with the personality-swapped individuals. Seeing sugarSans and Alphys send messages was nothing new, but what surprised you was to see Sans from space send you a few messages himself. Yes, you were calling him Sans from space for the sake of making everything easier to say in your head. How else would you be able to tell the differences? How about astroSans? GalaxySans? OuterSans? OuterSans sounds nice, knowing it’s outer space and all.

Sometimes you wonder why you bother with some things. This mental conversation would seem odd to somebody else.

SugarSans: “sorry to be annoying, just wanted to check up on you. miss you is all. uh. hiya.”

OuterSans: “didn’t know the old man told you his life story. must trust you a skele-ton.”

Alphys: “Omg are you okay? Like, omg, why do you take so long to respond? I worry so much.”

The last texts from each prompted you to quickly respond, guilty that you had waited this long to give them the attention they were seeking. You can already imagine them. Alphys was pacing back and forth, struggling to press the send button on her cell. Meanwhile sugarSans was probably creating pastries with Papyrus for the Snowdin inhabitants, as always, and randomly decided to text you. OuterSans however, you’re unsure of. He could have been with Grillby, which is the best possibility.

“Aren’t you an interesting thing?” a child-like voice broke the silence. You took a good look at the vicinity surrounding you, but there was nobody around. The voice spoke up again, repeating its sentence, but again you saw nothing. “DOWN HERE,” it hissed, making you immediately step back from surprise. It was a small creature. Its white pelt caused its yellow and light blue sweater to pop out in color. Small, cute, and a mixture of both a dog and a cat is the best you could come up with as a description. 

“Are you a… cat? A dog? I think you’re more of a cat-thing than a dog,” you think out loud, studying the creature beneath you. “Are you… hungry? I mean, I can get you some food, if you want,” you awkwardly ask, pointing at the house behind you. “We might have tacos and burritos, if you even eat that.”

“I’m a temmie!” it squeaked, its anger coming off as too adorable. “Temmie the Temmie! And you listen carefully… human! I don’t know who you are, or how you got here… but what I do know… is that you’re not from here, are you?” It was staring intently at you, its pupils focused on your own. The two of you remained like this, your own body refusing to move in fear of being attacked by what appears to be an angry cute monster. 

Temmie got an itch and began scratching himself, making you slump your shoulders in relief. “I’m… not… done!” it reminded you of its presence. “Just… got an itch! An… annoying itch! Okaygotitdone.” It stopped to regain its posture, shaking its body to remove any leftover hairs or tiny invaders. 

“My name is _____, if it helps,” you introduce yourself, crouching down to get closer to Temmie. It looked annoyed, its desire to scare you not being met. “But um, want me to scratch you?”

“Yes! Yes-NO. NO NO NO. Stop that!” it objected, hissing. “You idiot! I’m trying to scare you!” its change suddenly changed from an adorable plush to that of a horrid monster. 

You accidentally kicked it while trying to stand up as a reflex, making you gasp at your action. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I just… you were so scary and I guess I accidentally-”

“that was a weak shot,” Papyrus had interrupted, teleporting beside Temmie. “put some backbone into it,” he winked. He then kicked the poor creature far off, its screams of agony and disappointment echoing within the hallways of the ruins. 

You stared in awe, surprised he would do such a thing. “Papyrus… that was such a cute creature, why would you do that?”

“wanted to stretch out my legs is all. care for my bro’s tacos and burritos?”

“I was going to give Temmie some of that too,” you pouted. Papyrus plopped out another cigarette, reminding you of Sans’ reaction back during the cake fest. “You should try to smoke less… as in, um. I know for us humans it makes us worse, but I don’t know if it’s true for skeletons… but I do know your brother isn’t so fond of it and all.”

“nah. don’t have the guts to.”

“Literally.”

“that’s the point.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right,” you responded, sheepishly smiling back at him. “But I guess I should go back and go get some of Sans’ Mexican food, right?”

“uh, hold up,” he spoke up. “what did the cat-dog-hybrid tell you?” You didn’t expect that question from him, which left you asking yourself the same thing. It didn’t really ask you anything, did it? It managed to cutely scratch fleas off of itself, squeak, hiss, but it also mentioned your presence and oddity in this world. Its words were finally processing in your head, making you grow rather spooked. 

“You’re right, I wasn’t paying much attention was I? Oh my, it’s creepy now that I think about it... I was so mesmerized by how cute it was and how cute it was acting that… I didn’t bother to ask about how it questioned me. Asked about how, uh, it knew I wasn’t from here? Wanted to know why or how I got here.”

“that so? heh. try to avoid him. he likes to give us a bad time.” You leave him to smoke his cigarette outside, curious to try out Sans’ tacos and burritos.


	24. I Would Be Shocked Too If I Met A Different Version Of Myself

“Are you sure Grillby is okay with it? Me barging in on him so late? I just want to take the advantage to, you know, visit him and all,” you ask outerSans, worried that he might be busy. SwapAsgore, swapSans, and swapPapyrus are asleep. Or taking their naps, you suppose. You were told by swapSans that sleep wasn’t necessary, but it was still fun to dream for them. Knowing this, you wanted to take advantage and visit the galaxy-themed universe. 

Also during your silent time spent day dreaming you were trying to figure out what nicknames to give to the people of this world. Putting “swap” in front of their names seemed reasonable, since, you know, their personalities were swapped?

“he’s cool with it. come on, gettin’ old over here,” he drawls. You had managed to sneak out of your room, or rather, Papyrus’ room without waking him up. Or so you thought. Whether or not you did, he wasn’t around, so you didn’t bother to double-check when you pulled out your pocket watch to open the portal. After switching the yellow heart to that of red, you did the complicated button-smashing and screen-moving techniques Alphys taught you. 

The portal blinked into existence before you, its outline ripped into existence. It was barely audible, the sound of gales and an endless vortex on the other side. Unlike Sans’ time space-teleporting portals, the portals you were creating did not show you what was on the other end. It would be lovely if they did.

“About to enter, get ready,” you whispered a heads up to outerSans before jumping through. Before you knew it, you were no longer in the ruins, but Waterfall. OuterSans was patiently waiting for you by the bench, giving you a wide smile when you had finally entered his universe. “So sorry for my delay, um, but I’m here!” you chirped. 

“bout time pal. let’s get you comfy and all.” He stood up and quickly snapped his own portal into existence, showing Grillby’s house on the other side. “actually. hope you don’t mind me taggin’ along? gotta catch up with grillby too,” he asked, walking through the portal. 

“You sure you don’t want to take a sneak peek at your other self? Going to be honest, it would be cool to see my own personality in the body of another and all,” you pleaded for him to accept the offer, your own portal still open. He stood there, pondering the tempting idea. “It will be quick!”

“dunno if i’m ready to see a pun-makin’ paps.” He remained standing, toying with the idea. After a second of pondering, he finally gave in, grinning. “but alright. just a quick peek. the quicker, the sooner i get to read my bro a bed time story.”

“That is really adorable. And it’s cute because all the Sans’ I’ve met do that so far. Even the Papyrus from the universe you’re about to check out,” you explained, watching outerSans walk through his own portal. He stopped beside you, his eyes filled with worry as he studied the portal. “As long as you stick by my side, you won’t get stuck in the other universe.” This seemed to ease him down, his expression softening. You quickly changed the red heart in your pocket watch to that of yellow, to which Sans whistled, enjoying the technology that was far ahead of his own.

“let’s jump universes,” he happily said as the two of you simultaneously walked through the portal, your arms linking to prevent getting lost through the portal. Not that you would, of course not, but it was a nice gesture regardless. 

The ruins surrounded you, the portal now behind you. Sans took a good look around, slowly making his way around the tree before him. “same old, same old. dunno what else i expected.”

“Well yes. So far all I’ve managed to find out is that… the personalities are swapped? Already told you about that through the messages though. And also told you about the bad situation with humans and rebellions. Don’t know the details yet though.”

“heh, kiddo here must have taken a different path.”

“Better than the kid who entered my universe. Slaughtered everything in their path… don’t know if they were a girl or boy though. Would help me better visualize them. Also, to kind of return to the real reason we’re here, the ruins here should not be any different from the ruins in your world? Maybe you can teleport there? Actually no, I’ll lead you the way-” you cut yourself at the feeling of vibration. “Um… mind if I check this out? Don’t want it to keep vibrating while we go in there and all.”

“nah. don’t mind me.” He continues to explore the environment around you, crouching at some points to get a better view of… the ground? 

“Thought you could slip away, huh?” swapPapyrus’ voice interrupted, his figure appearing right in front of outerSans. He seemed to have not noticed your otherworldly friend yet, who was frozen and staring at you with confusion. “…Uh… somethin’ the matter?” You stood there, not wanting to meet outerSans’ gaze in fear of Papyrus glancing that same way. 

Then it dawned on you. Seeing the portal must have been his first time. “Oh, no, don’t worry about the portal… um… I should have explained that, shouldn’t I? I was going to tell you, I really was! But um, your brother interrupted us for tacos and all-”

“Hehehe, nah s’cool. Just uh… we won’t bite ya, you can spill it all out. Gori is pretty understanding and all. And my bro, well, I’ll handle him for ya-”

OuterSans quickly teleported away from behind him and to your side, making Papyrus drop the cigarette he had just pulled out. “hey. sup?” he began, making you grow tense about the odd situation. 

Papyrus stared at outerSans, noticing the uncanny resemblance to his own hyperactive brother. The two didn’t bother speaking up, studying each other while you tried to come up with anything to say. “So um… well. This is awkward. Sorry uh, didn’t think this would happen-well yeah, I did. I should have expected it, right?” you awkwardly tried to start a conversation, nervous about the result. 

Neither responded.

“So… Papyrus, this is Sans from a different universe… Sans, this is Papyrus from a different universe, too… this is kind of difficult guys,” you admit near the end, your cheeks flushed with embarrassment from how awkward you were. “I can explain everything to you, just give me a minute to um, clear my head,” you direct it to Papyrus.

“sup?”

“Sup.”

“nice jacket you got there.”

“Thanks bro. Your slippers look nice too.”

“heh, yeah.”

“So how’s the weather down there?”

“chill to the bone,” Sans joked, nudging Papyrus, who snickered in response.

“I like him already,” Papyrus laughs out, turning to face you. Sans does so as well. “But uh, weird he looks like my brother. But what can ya do, right? Diff’ universe.”

“c’mon, back at my place i got a paps the spittin’ image of you. he ain’t smokin’ tho. he likes his bed time stories and figurines.”

Papyrus gave Sans a quick glance, surprised to hear that description. “You’ll get a kicker out of my bro Sans. He sounds… similar.” 

“he a human-hunting fanatic?”

“Yep.”

“heh. bet he really wants to be with them royal guards, huh?”

“Yep. He doesn’t have the guts to pull it off though.”

“i see what you did there.”

They continue their conversation, which slowly progresses to that of science and the unique aspects of their own universes. You listen to them, entertained by their unique reactions and similar personalities enjoying their own company. 

The portal before you was still open, hissing and slowly shrinking in size as the time passed. You closed it to prevent others from walking through it, the skeletons beside you not having noticed. They were chatting away, puns and jokes thrown in the conversation. At one point they were talking like nerds, discussing the alternate universes, the anomalies they encountered in their experiments they claimed they’ve participated in, and their close friendship with their brothers.

It made you feel rather small, knowing that somewhere in the alternate universes there were different versions of you. While you were unique, there were others who might not be too different from you. It made you feel… less special. Seeing these two skeletons realize that it was possible to enter other universes and speak to others just like themselves… it was phenomenal. And you were scared. 

“…gotta love the classics.”

“Hey, you okay there bud?” Papyrus asked, noticing your solemn expression. You blinked, forcing yourself out of your thoughts. 

“Yes, I’m fine, don’t worry. Just felt nice to see you guys chat away. Glad to have helped this meeting occur,” you mention, your hands twirling pieces of your hair. “But, please, do keep chatting away. Just, uh.” You let out a yawn, your hands covering your mouth out of courtesy. “I’ll just sleep down here, if that’s cool with you guys… wake me up when you want to return back home-”

“hey, c’mon, let’s go back to my place and you can hit the hay there,” Sans offers. You nod, finding it appealing at the moment. “gotta get her some z’s. catch you later,” he began parting ways with Papyrus, who also nodded in approval.

“No prob. Nice meeting ya,” he slowly waved, pulling out yet another cigarette. You quickly shot back up, suddenly being brought to life at the thought of not having swapPapyrus or swapSans in contact on your device. 

“Before I go, is it okay if I have your number? I like to keep contact with friends and all… if that’s okay,” you ask, pulling out your pocket watch. “All I need is your finger-or, er, finger bones and all. Phalanges. Yes, phalanges.” Papyrus approaches, lighting the cigarette in the process. “Just place your finger here, where the screen prompts you to, and… yeah, it just records your information. Don’t ask, it’s just fancy technology and all.”

“science,” Sans blurts out, enjoying the mess you’ve become due to lack of sleep. 

“No problem bud, I got the jist of it,” Papyrus mumbles, placing his finger right on the location the screen prompts him to. In a matter of seconds, the screen spits out numbers and codes, finishing with the sound of a doorbell. It was done. “Woah. Pretty interesting tech you got there.”

“thought so myself,” Sans adds.

“Thank you!” you pipe up, closing the screen and switching the hearts from yellow to red. “It was really nice meeting all of you. I’ll come back soon enough! Just have something to do back in Sans’ universe. Have people to catch up with,” you explain, opening a portal behind Sans. He quickly turned to take a good look at the portal. You give Papyrus a quick smile before you turn, the portal’s hissing never ending. 

“Hey, _____,” Papyrus starts, opening a portal of his own. “What’s the first letter of yellow?”

“Y,” you quickly respond, making him chortle. “That’s right… right? Isn’t it?” you ask Sans for confirmation, who shrugs while giving you a smug smile.

“I dunno.” Papyrus disappears into his portal, closing immediately after. You were left thinking about your answer, Sans not wanting to divulge the truth of it. Both of you walk through your portal, your thoughts still stuck on Papyrus’ question. Sans rips a door of his own, allowing you skip the long trip from Waterfall to Snowdin. 

“so hey, i asked before but, mind if i tag along?” he repeated his old question, to which you nodded as your hand touched the cold doorknob.

“Can’t wait to tell him everything and talk to him a bit more and all.” Opening the door revealed the same old house. Papers and open books dotted the living room, yet the kitchen was ironically spotless. Colorful candles stuck out over the coffee table like a sore thumb, catching Sans’ attention. He walked over to the coffee table, rummaging through the notes and messy pile of books with a stern expression. 

You explore the rest of the house for any signs of your flame friend. “So were you surprised to see the books lying there?” you broke the eerie silence. “I don’t think he’s here either. Guess we caught him at a bad time?” He didn’t answer, yet you could hear the loud noise of pages being skimmed through and notes being pushed impatiently. “Hey, are you okay? Sorry I’m asking but-oh, his room is locked,” you changed the subject, unable to open his door. With a sigh you return to the living room to a bewildered Sans. 

“…can that portal of yours time travel?” he asked without looking up, eyes set on the words blurring through the pages.

You pondered about it. Surely it didn’t time travel, or else you would have noticed by now you were way ahead of time or behind. You shook your head in response, surprised by his question. “Did we… time travel? Because I’m sure this isn’t meant to time travel.”

“he was mourning his family… but.” He finally took his pupils away from the scrambled notes and to your own puzzled face. “he’s already done that months before. i was there.” A worn out calendar was under his hand.

You breathe in a lungful of air, finding it hard to believe. “They never told me this device time travels, but I’ll send in a quick text anyway.” Sans stares at your screen as you bring it to life, not hesitating to locate Alphys’ icon. The text was rather short, simple to read, but it was enough for her to understand. For the next few minutes the two of you sat there, puzzled and unable to understand what’s going on. While Sans was staring at the screen you decide to take a good look around. That’s when you come across another calendar sprawled under the coffee table. 

“Hey another calendar,” you say, pulling it out from its hiding spot. Sans scans the visible page, his pupils dilating from the discovery. “I’m going to guess that, yes, we did in fact travel back in time.”

“no no no no no no,” he suddenly panicked, teleporting himself out from the area. You were left alone and confused, unable to understand what was going on. The calendar was unlike anything you’ve seen, or at least when it came to how it was organized and written. Not wanting to think too much about it you return to your screen. Alphys has yet to respond. 

Being left alone wasn’t a good feeling and you wanted to change that. Grillby wasn’t home, and apparently from what Sans’ has seen, today wasn’t… today. You wanted to find Sans and ask him what he thought was going on. 

You stood up and left the mess around you intact, leaving it for Grillby to organize his own way. While walking out of Grillby’s place you think back to Alphys conversations about the pocket watch. You’re sure she never mentioned anything about being able to time travel – …the watch vibrated.

As you thought, she was just as confused as you were. The watch wasn’t capable of traveling to different times in a timeline. With that answer you try to find Sans, but he wasn’t anywhere to be found outside Grillby’s house. Scanning the snow revealed no footprints, but you didn’t know what to expect when he can just teleport through space and time. The snow also brought you down to memory lane, where the memories of your winter days on the surface were blessings. Playing in the snow was always what you looked forward to when you woke up as a child. But when you woke up for college a dozen years later, it was more of a nuisance. Snow had to be pushed aside, salts thrown about, and you were always caught in between childish snow fights. 

You reached Snowdin’s main central area. Many monsters were running around the Christmas tree plopped right on the snow, gifts nicely packaged underneath. A glowing star topped it off, illuminating the children around. A humanoid rabbit was walking a much smaller rabbit, who was sniffing the snow around. When you passed by them the rabbit began to yip and snap at you, its leash preventing it from causing a havoc on you. You glanced at it, not understanding why it would choose you to snip at and not the rest of the monsters around.

“Oh no, little brother – oh! Are you… a human?” she asked nervously, tugging the leash to attempt to rile her little brother down. “It has been… so long since we’ve seen a human. My brother wasn’t even born yet.” He kept yipping and squeaking, digging itself a hole as it tried to run away from its older sister… or was it his owner? You’re not sure what to think about this.


	25. Resets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now there's universe jumping and shenanigans, and don't be surprised, this is only the beginning. We have yet to touch other AUs that have been mentioned in the very first Chapter.
> 
> Oh boy, you're in for a wild ride. Thank you for sticking this long.

“Y-yeah, I’m a human. Looking for Sans and Grillby. Would you know where they are?” you ask, her eyes brightening at the sound of their names. She quickly snatches her brother from the ground, trying to control his temper as he tried to scramble out of her arms.

“Yes, I do. Grillby is at Grillby’s, the bar right over there” she directs your attention by pointing to the familiar bar. “But I am afraid to say I do not know where Sans is. Usually he walks towards the ruins at this time of day.” Her brother keeps making a commotion, attracting other monsters nearby. They gaped at you, making you grow uncomfortable. It wasn’t like this before, not when you first stepped into this universe. They would give you a quick glance and smile, but now it’s more being gawked at as if you were a rare breed of animal.

“A human!”

“Undyne is so gonna dig this.”

“Can we tell her about this?”

“Awe Undyne is so cool!”

“Let’s go tell Undyne!”

Just as quick as the group of children approached, they left. Their footprints were left in the snow, visible for others to see where they had gone. The rabbit woman quickly became anxious, her free hand now on her mouth as she tried to calm herself down. Her little brother has finally managed to calm down, but has now resorted to growling instead.

“You must go and hide! Do not let Undyne catch you!” she urged, pushing you away from her. “If I see her I’ll make up something, anything! I have already seen enough kids pass through to know that… they’re never heard from again. You’re definitely not a kid, not at all! I’ll regret it and… and,” she trails off, unable to find the right words. Her brother has finally stopped his yipping and growling, now nibbling at her arm that was imprisoning him. “…and I don’t want to feel like I’m useless anymore. Go! Now! I couldn’t help the ones before you, but I can help you now!” she repeated her warning, giving you a rougher push. You stare at her with confusion and worry, not knowing what to say or do. “You can thank me later, just go already!” 

“But where do I go? I don’t know where to go-”

“Far away from here! Away from Snowdin. Away from Waterfall… To the Ruins! I heard that the former Queen encounters them first, and from what I’ve seen, all humans come out of there alive… yes, go there! Go go go already!” she drops her brother to push you even harder, tears running down her cheeks. The smaller rabbit starts to nib at your feet, firmly clutching your shoe. 

Bewildered, you nod and make a dash away from Snowdin. It was a short trip, the town’s welcoming sign looming beside you before you know it. Your heart starts to race when you reach the end of the town, trying to understand what had just happened. Unfortunately, you didn’t know your way to the ruins other than it was “far away” from Snowdin. The description wasn’t good enough, but it will do. Perhaps you can find Sans there as she believed he went. But you really wanted to see Grillby. 

Determined to meet up with Grillby first, you rush back to Snowdin. Your feet stepped over your old footprints, smudging them and blurring them. The air was thick and cold, just like the dilemma you brought yourself into. 

The humanoid female rabbit saw you from the distance as you approached, her worried expression turning into that of shock as her hands covered her mouth. You ignored her, knowing that she was going to insist on you running away. 

“What are you doing? Go now!” she hollered, trying to catch up with you despite having heels on. Her smaller brother was being dragged through the snow by a leash, muffled by the snow entering his mouth. “Stop that! Please! Please go now!”

“Not yet!” you yelled back, finally reaching Grillby’s. For once you’re glad the training with Sans paid off. That extreme set of dodging and running routines has primed you a bit more for these situations.

You awkwardly open the door, nearly falling into the bar whilst trying to get a good look around. The bar’s happy atmosphere and laughter came to a standstill, its inhabitants staring at you. Grillby was at the counter, cleaning a transparent colored glass. With hope you run towards him, leaning over the counter before you begin to talk.

“Grillby! It’s been so long and I’ve missed you! I know it’s been a day but, maybe, we can catch up? You have no idea what I’ve come across and-”

“Apologies for interrupting, but I believe you are mistaking me for another individual,” he interrupts, making your heart drop. “Yet, I am pleased to say that I am willing to hear you out to your heart’s content if that will do?”

You close your mouth, unable to register his words. The man who had helped you when you first entered this universe, divulged his inner workings, and even hugged you is now revealing that he does not know you. He healed your wounds and offered you sweets. He has given you his daughter’s clothes to you, which kept you warm and safe throughout the journey. He is also the reason you met Sans, another friend you definitely never regret meeting. Grillby reminded you of your father, the man who you miss so dearly. The man you wish you could see every night before going to sleep. The man who made you the way you are today. 

Surely this is a joke. You didn’t want it to be a joke. You didn’t want to leave him just yet. You didn’t want to cry yet.

“Hey, um… it’s me. You don’t remember me?” your voice drops, unable to accept the reality of the situation. He shakes his head, setting the clean glass aside. You gulp, your heart dropping. This was not a dream, but it felt like one. It’s hard to face a man who claims you’re a stranger when you clearly know him. It has been a short while, yes, but after everything you’ve gone through, you would think he would recall. This made Sans’ hypothesis and panic more understandable. Was he facing the same dilemma?

“May I ask who is the individual you seek?”

“It…” you begin, but you’re unable to keep going. You look at him with a solemn expression, not wanting to reveal anything more. “I need some fresh air. I’m sorry to bother you.” The bar was still rather quiet, whispers and small talk occurring here and there. Making your way outside sent a chill down your spine as dozens of eyes stared at you, their expressions diverse.

When you made it outside and closed the door behind you, you slump down and close your eyes. Mentally you were drained, the palm of your hands holding your head up. You could hear a voice trying to penetrate through to you, but you zoned it out. All your energy was focused on Grillby and the monsters who were glaring at you.

“…please!” a familiar voice finally gets through to you, their tiny hands pulling at your sleeves. It was the female rabbit with her smaller brother. She looked worried, her strength not enough to pull you up. “Why are you still here? Do you not know the way to the ruins? Did you not just come from there yourself?” she cried out, her smaller brother clinging to your pants.

You refused to budge, frightened and giving her a quick glance. “It’s okay, I’ll go eventually-”

“Oh my lord, have mercy, I’m so sorry,” she mumbled before ducking down and digging her canines into your wrist. You yelp, jumping up and clasping your other hand over the bleeding wrist. “You can’t be here!”

“Didn’t have to bite!” you snarled, licking the blood from your wound. “It’s just too much for me, okay? You wouldn’t understand.”

“I don’t need to understand. What you need to do is run!” she kept urging, trotting behind you and attempting to push you back to the ruins. You didn’t budge, still trying to take this all in. “Why won’t you listen? I don’t want you to die either!” Her feet were sinking into the snow beneath her, her strength unable to budge you.

Her words snap you back into reality. “W-wait, are you serious?” you quickly turn, making her fall and land between your legs. You step back, your legs trembling from the thought. “Oh no, I really need to find Sans… he knows why this is happening. I need to find him. I really need to!”

“Then go to the ruins! Please!” she begged. You nod, prompting her to dash past you. “Follow me! I’ll show you the way!” You don’t hesitate to listen and begin following the female rabbit. However, her heels were slowing her down tremendously. You didn’t need to run to catch up with her, but walk. Her little brother wasn’t as lucky. Being the size he is he needs to jog in order to catch up with the two of you. The snow didn’t make it any better for him. 

“Curse these heels!” she shrieked, wiggling each of her feet until they fall off. “Oh OH SO COLD!” she immediately stopped to shiver. Her little brother keeps going ahead, seemingly aware of where the ruins were himself. You pull out your pocket watch and go through your storage, pulling out the galaxy-themed pullover that Grillby has given you.

“Here, try to wear this. It’s big on me, and you’re a lot skinnier so it might be even bigger on you, but it will do,” you offer. She snatches it and awkwardly slips it on, her ears curving above her head when out of the clutches of the pullover’s neck hole. “It also looks cuter on you too,” you compliment, making her blush and smile, only to quickly revert to her original expression.

“We must continue! Onward!” she blurts out, running a lot faster than she was before. You flinch from the sudden burst of energy before catching up to her. For a rabbit she definitely lives up to her name, especially when a few minutes in she switches to all fours, the familiar rabbit hopping taking over her. You start to pant as you speed up even more, your legs burning from the exercise. 

The three of you pass by a bridge, go over hills, make sharp turns here and there, and nearly slide off the cliff. The burning sensation in your legs only get stronger, but eventually disappear. Numbness replaced them, making you feel worried about how far you’re pushing yourself, but you couldn’t stop just yet. 

But a stop is finally made when a fork in the path is presented. You fall into the snow, hugging the mother earth as you start to feel your legs. “I love you snow,” you mumble through a mouthful of snow, the coldness sharp against the heat from your body. The female rabbit sat beside you, checking for any intruders or unwanted visitors. 

“We are almost there! Don’t give up just yet!” she leans over you, her little brother pacing around your back. It felt very comfortable, causing you to grumble when he stops in his tracks. He didn’t listen, his little feet leaping off of your back. “Hopefully Sans is also at the ruins.”

“Just give me a minute. Legs burning.”

“I thought you humans were stronger than this!”

“But I just ran for who knows how long. I don’t have strong legs like you rabbits do,” you replied back, your arms gathering snow around you. Little did you expect to enter this universe and start running away from Undyne, who apparently hunts humans down. You didn’t doubt that as you imagine the Undyne from this world being similar to the one from your own.

The sound of a twig snapping caused her little brother to snarl in the direction of the noise. You prop your head up, quickly scrambling to your feet. She did the same, grabbing the stick closest to her. “We need to hide, quick!” she whispered to you, her hands trembling.

“They already know we’re here thanks to your little brother!” you whispered back, just as nervous. You snap her stick in half, using the small half you just received as your defense. She glared at you, only to return to staring at the source of the sound of footsteps landing on snow.

It was a tense minute, her little brother showing no fear as it kept snipping and squeaking. Suddenly, he escaped his leash and ran towards the source. His older sister let out a shriek of despair. “NoooOOOO! Come back little brother!” she panicked, unable to make her legs move due to fear. You moved instead, making her shriek at you as well. “NoooOOOOO! Come back here human!”

“I’ll be back!” you yelled back, only to stop in your tracks the moment you made a sharp turn to your left towards the sound of her little brother. It was outerSans. He was standing on the riverbank, his reflection wavering on the surface of the cold waters. You erupted into an incoherent mess at the sight of him, a smile plastered on your face.

“I, you, um, hey, you’re here!” you blurted out, running towards him and dropping to your knees beside him, still sore from the long run. “Are you okay?!? I was so worried that you disappeared, and then things happened, and I was being stared at, andIdon’tknowwhathappened,” you tried to explain as quickly as possible, frightened and nervous. The little rabbit was sniffing at his fluffy slippers, nibbling at the stars imprinted on them. Sans, who was giving the river a melancholic gaze, sighed.

“went back and didn’t see you at grillby’s. tried to look for you bud.” He finally broke his gaze with the river, meeting your own. His pupils looked distant. “but we got a bigger problem. got time to listen?”

“Of course! Just um… I have somebody waiting for me back there. She’s a cute rabbit and all and-”

He teleported out from your sight, making you blink several times to make sure he was gone. Within the next few seconds of you trying to figure out what occurred, he comes back blinking into existence, carrying the rabbit in his arms. He gingerly places her beside you, making you gawk at him.

“Are you okay?” you question the rabbit, who looked petrified. You then turn to Sans, who was still in a pensive mood. “I’m ready to listen now.” He takes out his hands from his pockets, kneeling down in front of you. He picks up the stick the rabbit was holding, using it as his drawing tool. 

“you already know ‘bout the timelines and all… well, the kid is special. the kid that falls last in both our worlds has the power to reset timelines. kind of like this thingy i just drew,” he explains, having drawn a thin line. “if nothin’ ain’t going the kid’s way,” he says as he smothers the majority of the line, leaving very little in the beginning of it. “then the kiddo can reset and start over… and we won’t have any memory of it.” You gasp, understanding what was happening in this world.

“Oh my god. So… while we were visiting the other universe… they must have reset?” you tried to connect it, to which Sans confirmed by nodding. You sit on the snow, staring out into the wilderness before you. “Is it… my fault? If I had never taken you through the portal, would everything be the same? I didn’t mean any of it, I swear-”

“what? no no… to be blunt, i… thank you.” You give him a perplexed look, the rabbit beside you still petrified by having experienced teleportation. “…i know you must be scared, but i’m here with ya,” he sweetly voiced his thoughts, his hands on your shoulders. “don’t give up on me just yet, ok?”

You could have taken yourself back to your own universe and you’re not sure why you didn’t yet. You could have avoided all this by simply returning back home and avoiding this commotion. This dilemma that kept growing was new to you, especially the idea of being able to reset timelines. It was terrifying and frightening, but you didn’t want to run away. This was your chance to finally help somebody through this, even if it meant you needed help of your own to begin with. You weren’t going to abandon him like you with your old friends at the surface. You were better than this. It was time to learn.

“I won’t. I want to help too,” your voice began getting stronger as you mustered the courage, making him grow surprised by your sudden drive. “Let me help! I’ll do anything!” He stands up and stares past the river, closing his eyes and taking in a good whiff of air.

“fine by me. got an angry fish we got to avoid too, huh?” he reminds you, making you gasp at the thought. You had completely forgotten about the situation with Undyne, which brings you back to the rabbit beside you, who was finally beginning to regain her senses. “by the way, what’s your name?” he faces the rabbit, who had awkwardly stood up. It takes her a moment to realize she was being spoken to.

“M-me?”

“Sorry if I had not asked you either… you want to know my name too?” you added in. “My name is _____, and I can’t thank you enough for trying to help me. I know I must have been a pain to work with at first,” you admit, angered by how childish you were acting back in Snowdin. 

“That is… quite alright! I want to say sorry too. I didn’t introduce myself to you either… but! My name is Paige Pepper!” she chirps back to life. “Just got a bit… paralyzed there… seeing you do that magic circle thing,” she trails off, returning to her state of fear and terror. Sans snickers, drawing out a portal in front of you. “T-there you go doing that again!”

“Where are you going?” you ask. He looks up at you, pulling out a whoopee cushion from his pocket. 

“got a human to meet. see ya later bud.” With that said he disappears into his portal, closing immediately after he goes through. You’re left there with Paige, who is returning to her senses once more. Her little brother is making circles in front of her, playing with the snow. 

“So… how was today?” you attempt to begin a conversation.


	26. OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never thought I'd reach 90 kudos :) Thank you ^_^ Thank you as well for the comments and hits and bookmarks, because I'll definitely be updating this (on a daily basis) for a long time.

While outerSans was busy meeting with a human, which you had a dozen or so questions about, you and Paige started a small chat. Surprisingly she’s not that different from you. She wants to become a professional of her own, has a little brother who is named Cinnamon and looks nothing like it could be her little brother, has met Sans on several occasions, likes baking, loves cookies and milk, and doesn’t have many friends of her own. Apparently they find her geeky and odd, especially when it comes to her fascination of gathering odd bits of information. Just like you.

“So how far are you in monster college again?” you ask, wonder in your eyes. She was just as excited to be able to connect with somebody, especially a human.

“Heading to three years! What classes do you like best?” she enthused, squishing her little brother in her arms. He manages to squirm out of her grasp, sniffing your dirty shoes.

“Science and math! You too?”

“Yes!”

“Oh my god, we might be twins,” you squeak out, unable to contain your excitement. She squeals out in response, her knees near her chest. “Only thing left is if you get crushes on people and things that are nothing like you… I get crushes on anime characters and love to be a hopeless romantic about it.”

“Oh my, yes, yes! Me too!”

“Coincidence?!”

The two of you stand up simultaneously, grinning widely. “I think not!!” you both pipe up in unison, jumping and laughing. The joy you’re experiencing manages to block out the fears and trepidations of the journey you have yet to embark on. To have made another friend fills you with hope, yet another worry starts to emerge from the depths of your heart. One that wasn’t there before, something that you are starting to realize. The concept of being reset. If that was the case, this new friend will eventually forget everything she’s ever met about you. 

It starts to dawn on you, the consequences of being attached to these sweet monsters that will eventually forget about your existence. Once you are back at home, their world can be reset and they will forget everything about you. As if you’ve never been there.

Your mood starts to drop the more you think about the implications, making Paige’s own mental celebration dissipate. You fall down on to the snow, your arms hugging your knees close to your chest. Surprised by the sudden shift in mood she drops down as well, puzzled. 

“What’s wrong?” she questions, her own face filled with worry. You notice the show you’re putting on and quickly force a smile, trying to regain the enthusiasm she had a few moments ago. 

“Oh nothing! I was just thinking about something is all! Want to keep talking about things like school and science and the surface?” you change the subject, but she doesn’t go with the flow. 

“It’s okay, you can tell me what’s wrong,” she requests, her hands over her own heart. Cinnamon leaped high up, catching you off guard. He landed on his sister’s shoulders, staring right through you. He knew very well you were lying. You couldn’t get anything past Cinnamon. 

“Did you listen to the part about resets me and Sans were talking about?”

“Yes, I did. I was scared but I could still hear everything,” she responded, her ears drooping. “But… is that what’s wrong? Knowing that one day everything is going to be reset?” Her words hit you hard, making you return to your depressed state. Your smile and façade drops, tears running down your cheeks at the mere thought of being forgotten by everybody. “No don’t feel sad!”

“It’s hard not to,” you mumble, laying down on the snow and turning to your side. She hops over to your arms and tries to force you up, only to fail and slip. Landing on the snow beside you, she wipes the tears away from your cheeks. “Haha… sorry, I’m a mess. I’ll get up so you don’t slip again.” You do just that. She still looks unsure, her expression that of concern.

“I’ll never forget you, _____. And even if I do, know that I don’t mind re-meeting somebody like you. You’re such a wonderful person and so sweet.” She signals to the jacket she was wearing, which makes you smile. “You even gave me your pullover to wear, which really is keeping me warm! Please, don’t feel sad-”

“No, it’s okay, I’ll feel better soon. Just need to figure out what’s going on,” you say as you stand up, patting the snow off of your clothes. “And thank you again. Without your help or need to keep me alive I wouldn’t be here.”

“Of course! I’ll always help a fellow human out! Not every monster hates humans, you know.” She wraps one arm around your shoulders, keeping you close and warm. You give her a full hug, enjoying her offer for affection. Your head landed on her shoulder blade, making her rather tall compared to you. She wasn’t as tall as Papyrus, but not short either. 

“Don’t even know where to start.”

“If you’re worrying about waiting for Sans, you can text him or call him. Do you have his phone number? Because if not I do.” She pats her body, trying to find any pockets she might have. You giggle, pulling out your pocket watch.

“Didn’t know you had his phone number, guess you two are close, huh?” you drawl, making her flush. Cinnamon whistles, making her face turn just as red as a tomato. “You like him? Is that it?” you finally guess, although for some reason you feel a tinge of pain saying those words. You brush the feelings off, not having the time to dwell on them.

“W-well it’s a long story,” she stutters, beginning her story. The two of you start to walk through the forest, no longer on the clear open path. This seemed to be the safest way, so you didn’t bother to redirect the trail you two were taking. “Also, it’s okay if we go to my house? They will never check my house right away. If they do, I do have hidden places!”

“I don’t mind, so it’s okay,” you respond, checking your pocket watch for any messages. This makes her gasp from wonder, mesmerized by the never-before-seen technology. “Oh, yeah, this is my pocket watch. It’s very cool to be honest. Remember how Sans can teleport? Well, it lets me do that. It also acts like a phone. I can call people, text them, and everything! I can even video chat! Although it only lets me do that if they have a device that can do the same,” you pout near the end, always having wanted to video chat with your pals. “But anyway, continue with your story.”

“Oh yes! Of course!” You watch her leap over a dead tree with ease, to which you groan when it was your turn. You didn’t have the leg muscles she had, nor were you a rabbit, so you had to plop yourself on top of the trunk and roll over to the other slide. It wasn’t easy, and you definitely got a few scratches. “You could have gone around,” she pointed out, making you groan once more.

“I knew that. Just uh, testing to see if you were paying attention.”

She giggled. “Sure thing. But to continue!”

“Yes! Continue!”

“I met Sans at Grillby’s. I don’t go there much, especially since Cinnamon likes to bother other monsters around-” He snarls, making her snicker. “-and, so, I don’t go there a lot. But the only times I did go I would always see Sans talking to Grillby or making jokes out loud for the rest of the bar to hear. He has a very good sense of humor, everybody loves him, he’s very mysterious, rumors go around saying he’s very strong, and oh is he sexy,” she begins to fantasize, her eyelashes batting about. 

“Of course he is,” you say as you withdraw a water bottle from your storage, only to drop it when you progressed your words. “N-no I mean, like, uh, no. No wait, not that he’s ugly, because he’s definitely not, it’s just, uh, forget I said anything,” you say through your teeth, blushing just as much as your companion was. Cinnamon was giggling to himself, causing you to give him a good glare.

“Don’t feel bad if you do! A lot of us feel that way about him! That’s why he has so many fans. He’s just a dream to a lot of us monsters,” she keeps fantasizing. “I only have his phone number because he accidentally gave it away to one of his fans, who then spread it around like wildfire. And, haha… I have it. Because I got it,” she whispers the last bit, sheepishly smiling at you. You smile in return, nudging her when she starts to blush once more.

“Don’t worry, I don’t fancy him or anything. I only have his phone number because he’s a good friend of mine.” Did you just say good friend? You’ve just met him and you call him good friend? Oh lord have mercy on you for getting so attached. “Want to hear my story and all? Like, how I even got into this mess and down here in the underground? Trust me. It’s a long story. Get ready for it.” Her eyes animate to life, excited to hear about your adventures.

“Oh please! I would love to hear it!” she enthused, her little brother sighing.

 

\--

 

It was definitely a lengthy discussion. By the time you were done answering all her questions, which you had lost count after two dozen, you were already passing Snowdin. The two of you were still in the woods, refusing to go to public. In the midst of the drawn-out conversation you had texted sugarSans, who doesn’t fail to bring your mood up. Not that Paige wasn’t doing a good job of it, but it was nice to have the extra boost of sugary-coated compliments. 

“My house isn’t far from here. It’s actually very close to Grillby’s and Ice Wolf’s,” she points out into the distance. Cinnamon gets impatient, jumping off of his sister’s shoulders in order to start running around your feet in repeated circles. 

“Grillby doesn’t remember me,” you reveal to her, your eyes darting toward his cabin house in the distance. “And I-”

“WATCHOUT!” Paige screeches, throwing her body on to you. You land harshly on the ground, a green blur speeding past the corner of your eyes. Taken by surprise, you jump back up, ready for whoever is nearby.

“Coward! Hiding in the dense woods to escape me? Have some dignity!”

It was Undyne. That booming voice is recognizable for miles. However, she wasn’t wearing any armor, which caught you off guard. Instead she was wearing a sleeveless shirt with yellow diamonds going down it’s center. Her red hair flows with the breeze, which also sent small clouds of snow your direction. Paige was just as surprised to see Undyne, her hands using your body as support as she stands up.

“Paige?” Undyne called, startled to see her. She was no longer carrying her smug smile, but that of confusion and anger. “What the hell are you doing defending this monster? Don’t you get we can LEAVE this hellhole of a place by giving their soul to Asgore?!?” she began to lecture, trying to convince her out of her kindness. Paige was still hiding behind you, not wanting to confront Undyne. Cinnamon burrowed himself down your shirt, just as terrified.

“H-hey… we’re not doing anything wrong, we’re just trying to get to her house,” you respond, trying to keep calm. In reality you are just as terrified. You wish you had somebody to hide behind, but Paige would be an incoherent mess if you did hide behind her.

Undyne winced, raising her spear and preparing herself to throw once more. “You think I’m going to step aside and let you go free? HAHAHAHA. I would NEVER let this opportunity slip by my hands, not when it means we can get our freedom! Now step aside Paige! Let me get a one-hit K.O. on this sucker!” she hollered, her spear’s glow illuminating her round face. Paige refused to listen. Instead she took a peek at her.

“I’m s-so sorry but… I can’t do that.”

“What do you mean you can’t do that?!? AUGH. FINE. YOU. HUMAN,” she points at you, making you gulp. “YOU BE THE ONE TO STEP ASIDE. Show me you really ‘care’ about her like you think you do! And let me show you how determined I am to solve our hopes and dreams!” She prepares for the eventual battle, glaring at you. While your legs were jelly, and your heart throbbing, you decide to do as she says. 

“Hey, Paige, let go,” you whisper to her, your attempts of remove her hands from your shoulders unsuccessful. She refuses, shaking her head in refusal. “I don’t want her to hurt you,” you add in, making her finally separate her forehead from your back. She still refuses, Cinnamon crawling out of your shirt in order to leap on to her head. 

Undyne groans in the background, seemingly impatient with it all.

“Run back home, please,” you insist to Paige. Cinnamon bites her hand, making her wince and let go. You take the chance to grab her hand and dash away from the scene, making Undyne holler in a fit of anger. 

“COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE BRAT!”

“Don’t look back!” you yell at Paige, who was running behind you with her hand still being held by yours. “I know you can run faster than that, so run off!” you provoke her, letting go of her hand for her to run on her own. At first the two of you run for a good amount of time, nearly to her house. When it was only a few yards away, she switches on all fours to make the final leaps.

In that same instant you make a sharp turn away from her house, dragging Undyne with you. She doesn’t seem to notice, for when you’ve run for a minute or so, her voice didn’t yell out your name in worry or protest. 

When you think you’ve gone far enough out of Paige’s sight, you turn and halt in your tracks. Undyne does the same, annoyed by your erratic behavior. 

“Why did you run away?!? You know what? Don’t even answer that! I don’t care! Just don’t run away again and face me with honor!” she spat out, swiveling her spear around her dominant hand. It terrifies you, knowing she’s a royal guard and ready to destroy you for the sake of her people, but you feel a little confident. Why? Perhaps its due to the training you’ve had with duffle coat Sans, who has definitely taught you a good amount to know. 

“Just wanted her to be safe,” you give a short reply. She smirks, throwing her spear beside her. “And… um.” You didn’t want to begin, but it was bound to happen. Your legs were heavy, hands shaking, mind clouded, but instincts ready, adrenaline kicking in, and stomach as strong as steel. “Ready when you are,” you force out, nervous. She doesn’t hesitate to snatch her spear and bounds towards you, your body ready to dodge.

She slashes the air around you, your body easily dodging her attacks as you somersault and leap away from her spears. At first you feel confident, predicting her movements and refusing to attack back. However, when she starts to speed up her slashes and stabbing attempts, you start to get messy. Practice is definitely still needed.

“You’re pretty damn fast,” she breathes out before slicing the air below you, to which you manage to barely leap out of the way. “And so damn quiet! Say something!”

You bump against a tree and barely dodge one of her spears, causing the bark to be left with marks of battle. A shriek escapes you mouth at the sight of pieces of your clothes ripped, sliced by that last spear. However, you focus is returned to dodging when the sleeve of your coat is sliced, your arm stinging from the attack. 

“Guess you’re not going to last as long as I thought you would. For a human you aren’t as strong as I thought you’d be. It’s only been a few minutes!”

With a grimace you continue to dodge, no longer able to predict her movement as she keeps cornering you against trees and other obstacles. Your left arm starts to drop blood, spots of red dotting the scene as you keep evading her spears and projectiles that are beginning to be brought into battle. Those projectile were annoying, always appearing where you least expect it. 

Bruised and injured, you finally decide to make a run for it. You couldn’t keep dodging. She had much more energy than you and would outlast you well into dusk. 

“STOP RUNNING AWAY!!!!” her voice booms throughout the dense woods, but you don’t let it deter you from making your way through the forest. At some points you trip or make a jump too soon, but you scramble back up to your feet to continue running. 

The sound of rushing water caught your attention, making you change paths towards the source. Then you heard the sound of footsteps approaching. 

“FOUND YOU!”


	27. HOLY SHIT GUYS I ALMOST DIED

You stop and wince when she lands right in front of you, her spear in hand. Your hand involuntarily grips over the sliced wound Undyne has made earlier, your warm blood being smeared throughout your clothes. 

“Thought you could run away again, right? WRONG!” she blurted out, throwing a barrage of spears your way. You gasp and evade the majority, but that last spear. That last spear gashes the side of your stomach, making you yelp and fall to the ground in pain. You could hear her footsteps approaching you, the glow of her spear able to be seen from the corner of your eye.

“Not bad, but you see that? Our will. Our hopes. Our dreams,” she begins her speech, her spear disappearing into thin air. “They were strong enough to defeat you, and finally we can see the light of day… the light of day I NEVER would let you snatch away from us.” She slams her foot beside your head, a mixture of dirt and snow splattered on your exposed cheek. 

You glance down at your wounds, too many emotions mixed to be able to even describe what you were feeling. You were filled with terror. Terror and fright as you envision your death before king Asgore, who was awaiting the last human soul. You were also frustrated, having failed your friends, especially Alphys, and unable to have survived the first real fight you’ve come across. You’re also saddened. You were unable to thank any of your friends for their friendships or give them what they deserved for the help they offered.

You were everything at once. Terrified, frightened, guilty, ashamed, weak, perplexed, frustrated, and most importantly of all, in pain. The gashing wound on your side was burning as the snow kept burying into it, making you whimper. 

“I... I,” you start, cowering in fear of being pierced by another of her spears. “Don’t hurt Paige, please?” you finally spat out, blood trickling down your arm. Its warmth contradicted with the freezing stings the snow around you gave off, which blanketed you like the evil mistress it was.

Undyne gave you a perplexed look, as if unable to believe what you just said. “Is that all? No mercy or pleads or anything?!”

You nod, tears of pain falling down your cheeks. She hesitates, her expression filled with doubt. You close your eyes, awaiting your death-

Suddenly you hear the sound of Undyne’s gasp escaping her lips. Then when you felt a warm embrace envelop you as your vision blurs. 

“NOT YOU TOO! The heck does this human have to make you protect her?!? Don’t you see she’s the key to breaking the damn barrier? We can finally ESCAPE the underground, Sans!” she complained.

You quickly open your eyes at his name, turning to get a good look at the skeleton who was holding you close to him. His stern expression was aimed at Undyne, his left socket glowing with the blue intensity of the magic emanating out. His right socket was black and empty, devoid of any life.

“how ‘bout you point that spear somewhere else?” he growled, only to sigh and give you a somber look, flinching at the sight of blood. “hehehe… glad to see you’re still alive and kickin’. sorry i’m late pal,” he apologized. He quickly glanced at Undyne, giving her a worried look. 

She breathes through her teeth at his expression, groaning. “I guess you know what you’re doing. The hell can I do if you’re protecting her.” 

“undyne. she ain’t the only human down here.” She stared at him in awe, surprised. “they’ve killed doggo,” he reveals, yet managing to keep himself calm while telling her grim news. Undyne, on the other hand, doesn’t handle it as well as Sans. She lets out a cry, slamming her fist into the tree trunk beside her. 

“Where’s this punk? I’m going to teach him not to mess with my friends,” she growls, unable to contain her anger. 

“heh… how would i know?”

“I’ll find them IF IT’S THE LAST THING I DO!” she hollers out, sprinting out of the scene. You watched her figure disappear among the foliage and trees, her words and yells audible for a good amount of time after her silhouette disappeared.

Sans finally gazes down at you, giving you a weak smile. “so uh, we should probably fix you up.”

“Yeah, that sounds nice-ow,” you whimper when he gingerly touches the gash underneath your ribs, the fabric around that area seeped and reeking of blood. “I’ll be fine… just uh, need some good wrapping up and rest. Also need to find Paige… oh, Paige! I hope she isn’t looking for me!” you sit up, only to curl back into his arms from the injury.

“forgettin’ something?” he says, catching your attention. He stands up and carries you along. Before you could respond he had opened a portal, Paige shown in the background. Her eyes took a second to register that a portal had been opened into her room. Once they did she let out a gasp, followed by your name. “if anythin’ else comes up, please give me a heads up, ok?” he whispered to you, walking through the portal and entering Paige’s living room. 

“Oh no, oh no, is she okay?!? She looks badly hurt, oh my, please be okay! Does it hurt? OH MY. I SEE BLOOD. YOU ARE NOT OKAY. What am I going to do, oh no, oh my, oh my,” she slowly entered into panic mode, her hands holding her ears amidst her words. “Um um… okay, I got it, this way! I’ll let her rest on my bed!” she finally thought of something, frantically bolting across her living room and into a bedroom. Sans quickly followed, carefully placing you down on the soft covers of the bed.

“take care of her.”

“Why can’t you stay? Is there something you need to do?” she wondered, still devastated over the sight of your wounds. 

“hot dog stand won’t do my job without me there,” he responded, your body turning to face him in confusion. Paige was just as confused, but before she could protest he was gone. He had quickly teleported out through a self-made door. 

“A hot dog stand? Job? Whatever, what matters is you! Oh my, those wounds… I need to take care of them! They must hurt so bad, oh I really need to do something.” She rummaged through the cabinets in the room, frantic for your safety. You pull out your pocket watch and quickly sift through your storage. The first aid kit was conveniently placed there by Alphys, making you smile faintly.

It materializes into existence, hovering right on top of you as the screen disappeared back into the watch. “Oh crap uh-AUGH,” you let out when the heavy kit falls right on to your chest, catching Paige’s attention.

“A kit! Yes! How convenient!” she clasps her hands together, rushing to your aid. She doesn’t hesitate to open the white box and empty its contents beside your bleeding body. Her white covers were smudged with scarlet blood and contaminated snow, reminding you of the battle you had barely survived from if it wasn’t for Sans’ appearance. You don’t doubt you could have been alive after it, but once taken to Asgore, your life would be over. 

“So I’m going to get rid of these clothes from you, so stay still please? I know it’s going to hurt, especially with these bad wounds, but you can do it!” she asked of you, her cold hands already beginning to remove your shoes. “What happened?!? One second I was running, the next I reached my house and you weren’t here with me!”

Cinnamon finally appeared after having been absent. He was carrying a thick roll of dressings. His nose gently touched your cheek, his small black beads for eyes staring at the small scratches on your skin. “Will you be okay?” he squeaks out, making you wheeze out from surprise.

“You can talk? Since when?” you blurt out. You didn’t think he was capable of speaking other than acting more of a guardian rabbit than a brother. Here he was, asking if you were doing okay. 

“Always. He doesn’t talk much though-Oh dear, you have a tattoo? Since when?!” she asks, lifting your shirt halfway up your torso. You sat up, ignoring the sharp pain that climbed up your chest. The fact you had a tattoo was unimaginable, especially since you were one who liked to keep their body clean of any ink. Last time you checked you didn’t have any, so where did this come from?

It literally looks like a black tattoo done over your lower torso, just about your groin area. It even extends down your thighs, stopping a good few inches before your knees. “The hell is this?!? Looks just like as if the belly chains fused in!” you spat, angered by the thought of Alphys having kept this a secret from you. Paige stood there, not wanting to intervene while you were spitting hatred. You glared at her and then at Cinnamon, who were giving you perplexed looks.

“Whatever. What can I do now,” you give up, laying back down harshly, only to let out a loud shriek of pain. Paige quickly returned to removing your clothes, her eyes occasionally returning to get a good glance at the markings on your lower torso. “Explains why I couldn’t feel the belly chains at all. Never did I bother to check if they were there,” you were mumbling to yourself, your arms resting on your forehead. Paige was kind enough to leave your undergarments untouched while the rest was now inside a white plastic bag.

“Done! Cinnamon, dress up her injured arm while I throw this on the laundry,” she ordered. Cinnamon nodded and pounded his chest, confident in his abilities. You lower your injured arm, curious to see how he was going to be capable of doing that task.

You were not disappointed. He stood on his hind legs and hugged the dressing. For his tiny body you would think the dressing would be too heavy for him to carry, but he made it seem as if they were as light as feathers. To make it easier for him you positioned your arm perpendicular to the bed. This allowed him to simply run around your arm in circles, the dressing beginning to cover it. You winced, feeling the tug of the dressings as they settled above your injury. It wasn’t too bad, not compared to the gashing wound on your side. 

“You know, I didn’t think you could do half the things you are doing now,” you admit to Cinnamon, who was ignoring your comments. Once he thought the dressing covered enough he bit off the end of it, throwing the unused amount down on the floor. “That isn’t sterile, you know that,” you add in, trying to get him to comment. Again you failed. He hopped over to your other wound, pondering what his next plan should be.

“I’m back!” Paige makes her presence known, running back into the bedroom. She was walking barefoot and had nearly slipped over your own blood, making you giggle at the odd arm-swinging she used to keep her balance. “And I know you want clothes… but let me clean you first! Cinnamon please bandage her injuries while I get her some clothes from the store!”

“Mhm!”

“Anything will do!” you shout out to her, knowing that she might stand there wondering what you like. Cinnamon coughs and grabs your attention, his arms crossed in front of his tiny chest. “What is it?”

“Turn!” he squeaks, pointing to the gashing wound on your side. You do as you are told, only to let out a yelp when the wound begins to throb. The small rabbit doesn’t waste any time, leaping off the bed and into the kitchen. Hurt and unable to feel your side anymore you close your eyes, your arms hugging the covers in front of you.

The pain was slowly subsiding, relief taking over. Until the darn rabbit poured liquid on your wound.

“OH MY GOD OUCH!” you screamed in pain, squirming and throwing him off of the bed, along with spilling the utensils that were neatly placed in front of you. “You could have warned me!”

Cinnamon leaps back up and waits until you settle down. Frustrated with his lack of conversation, you puff out your cheeks and prepare for the next round of burning liquids. Your squirm and try not to move, not wanting him to accidentally fall right on top of your wound.

It was an agonizing few minutes as he cleaned it, water and chemicals thrown into the mix. Finally, he had prompted you to sit up, ready to bandage up the wound. You do as you are told, however you begin to feel rather weak and lightheaded. He notices this and throws in a big hunk of cotton balls right on to it, not wanting to go to slow. 

“It’s okay, take you time,” you mumble to him, sitting up, leaning forward, and using your arms as anchors. He begins running around your torso, the dressing neatly being spread out. The pain continues to throb on your side, the injuries everywhere else seemingly gone as your focus on the gash. Cinnamon cuts the dressing once he’s done, no longer needing its aid.

“Done,” he yells out, his high pitched voice too adorable to ignore. You look at the dressings and bandages they’ve placed around your body. The two major injuries were cleaned and taken cared of while the other smaller breaks in the skin were simply cleaned and smeared with some sort of goo. 

“Thank you,” you smile, scratching behind his ears. He slumps down, purring as you scratch him away to a land of pleasure and bliss.

“Back!” Paige shrieked, the door slammed open. She was carrying a large bag, sleeves and threads poking from the top. “Did I take too long? Was I too late? Oh my, did you do a good job Cinnamon?” Her little brother nodded, leaping out of the bed to give his sister some room. She threw a towel beside you and proceeded to empty the contents of her bag on top, not wanting your blood and snow to contaminate any of it.

“I know they didn’t have much, but I bought what I thought was necessary.” She pulls out a dark blue coat dress with thin, vertical, mustard lines decorating it. It had yellow cuffs and yellow frills on its very bottom, making you smirk from how “necessary” she thought it was. “Look at how cute this is! And oh, I also bought matching stockings! They’re yellow-ish colored, but the same color as the yellow lines down this cute coat dress! Ooooooh and don’t get me started on the boots I got you. Dark blue like your dress. Everything just matches so perfectly I want to squeal, EEEEEK!” she squeals, dropping her clothing choices on top of you. You sheepishly smile, unable to see yourself wear these choices. You weren’t much for wearing dresses and matching shoes, but in this case you didn’t have much of a choice. At least you will look dashing.

“Thank you for using your money… if I had any I would have given you to use-”

“Oh no! I wouldn’t use it!”


	28. Sorry I'll Start Getting More Creative With Titles, Uh.... HMMMMM...

Paige’s bathroom was cleaner than your own. Unlike her bathroom yours lacked the plethora of shampoos, make-up, and hair products. Yours also didn’t include a candle that burned off a sweet aroma that reminded you of autumn. On the contrary, at least it wasn’t blinding the moment you turned on the lights, but it could also be viewed as a bad thing due to the dust collecting on the topmost shelves you never touch in your bathroom.

The mirror showed a freshly-showered human wearing an endearing dark blue dress that was themed like that of the cosmos surrounding you, which happens to be a theme everybody around here utilizes. Even Grillby’s bar contained some sort of connection to the extreme colors of the galactic scenery around.

“Oh you are so adorable!” Paige squeals out while Cinnamon buries himself into the towels stacked neatly on the table beside you, his butt hanging up in the air. “You just need a bow-OH. Actually, mind wearing a bow? A bow around your torso, at least, to make it look more appealing,” she offered, to which you nodded.

“I mean I guess. Don’t know why I wouldn’t… just don’t put it too tight.” She didn’t hesitate to leap towards you and quickly wrap the yellow bow around your waist, her hands careful not to get caught between the loops and holes she’s creating. “Are you sure you’re okay with paying this for me? You could have bought yourself a nice dress with this money instead of getting me this. It’s also not the best armor, so to speak.”

“Oh trust me, you’re going to win your way out of situations with this lovable appearance!” she squeaks, finishing up the large bow. “And it matches!”

“Yes, it definitely does,” you mumbled, examining your appearance on the mirror in front. You posed and tried different angles to determine if this was what you really wanted to wear, but occasionally you would stop due to the sharp stings from your wounds, making you lean on to the sink in front of you for support. Despite that you still tried to ignore the lingering soreness and infrequent stabs of pain.

“So! Need anything?” Paige interrupts, her hands clasped together in front of her chest as she slowly approaches you. It was the thought of having a friend over at her house that made her rather jumpy and ecstatic, hence the enthusiasm in every word she uttered. 

“I need to check my power gauge,” you reminded yourself. Paige gasped at the sound of her food hissing back at the kitchen, demanding her attention and care. She rushed back and allowed you to explore the watch on your own. Cinnamon emerges from the towels, throwing those above him to the ground to become contaminated by the pristine clean tiles. “Surprisingly it’s only halfway through. I would think it would be near dead,” you mumble to yourself, surprised. You’re sure you were away from your universe longer than last time, but perhaps you were losing track of time? 

“I have tea and coffee!” Paige’s voice erupts from the background. You walk over to the kitchen, her arms quickly cleaning the counters and tables around her. “Don’t mind me! Just cleaning so that it’s sparkly clean for my dear friend!” Her little brother Cinnamon lands on to your shoulder, making you jump from fright.

“Please, Cinnamon, warn me before hand,” you breathe out, your dominant hand over your heart. “Is it okay if I go call somebody before I start my drink? It’s… very urgent. I really need to know about this tattoo that appeared out of nowhere.” Paige nodded, Cinnamon leaping off once again. He landed on to the table near you, his nose sniffing for any sweets.

“I’ll be preparing some food! Do you like soup? Tomato soup? I really love tomato soup. You know, I’ll make tomato soup, is that okay? I’ll make it! I’ll be waiting!” she shot question after question, never letting you answer them. You give her a smile and a wave before you dash outside, your watch in hand. Once Alphys had picked up the call you make sure to make your worries known.

“Oh good, you picked up. I have a lot of questions for you, I really do, and a lot to talk about.”

“Omg is t-that true? Tell me everything-No, wait, l-let me get my pen and p-paper!”

“Why do I have a tattoo instead of the belly chains?” you asked right after her, stunning her.

Silence fell over the other line, not a movement heard. Her sigh is all you could catch, your heart beating fast at the thought that it might be something you didn’t want to hear. 

“O-oh… hahaha… o-okay. C-caught me there-hey!” she suddenly blurts out near the end, her voice getting farther and farther away.

“what seems to be the problem?”

You stood there, astonished by Sans’ sudden drop in. It took you a minute to realize you hadn’t given a response, yet Sans has managed not to impatiently remind you of it. “It’s something I need to talk to Alphys about. But um, hello! It’s nice to hear that you’re doing just as good as Alphys is.” Alphys’ voice could be heard in the background, trying to negotiate her way back into the phone. It didn’t work.

“coincidentally you communicated when Alphys was speaking of having disobeyed my orders and given you jewelry as a gift?”

“What are you talking about?” you quickly responded, regretting the call. You were aware Alphys did not want Sans to know of the chains you were wearing, yet you were curious to know his knowledge on the matter. However, the last thing you wanted was Alphys to refuse to respond to your calls.

“hm. how interesting,” he hissed, allowing Alphys to regain her possession of the device once more. Your heart sunk a little knowing that he might have only intervened to try to pry the information out of you. It was done weakly, but he must be aware you don’t easily fall for his tricks anymore.

“_____! Oh my god. I a-am… I d-didn’t mean for Sans to k-know about this,” she whispered through the phone, stuttering. “B-but… I c-can’t lie to you a-anymore. The belly c-chains I gave you… I d-didn’t make them. I found them in b-by Waterfall.”

“Why did you tell me you made it?” you ask, no longer angered. To know you evaded Sans, although too easily, was enough to calm you down. 

“I d-didn’t want you to t-think I w-wasn’t a c-cool friend anymore… that I d-didn’t build anything useful or helpful for you. Sans has been giving you e-everything and t-told you he made everything-”

“He didn’t.”

“…oh. He d-didn’t?”

There was a long pause, your frown turning into a shy smile. “You know that whether you built a lot more inventions or devices, or not, doesn’t change how I think or feel about you, right? You’re always going to be the Alphys I love and care about,” you reassure her, hoping she was smiling on the other side. “I already know you two are the geekiest monsters I know. I can never reach your potential, ever. No seriously. I can never understand your conversations sometimes and the closest I’ve been to be included was when I compared a very big concept about time and space with trees and branches. That’s quite embarrassing to say the least.” 

“N-no, you d-did very good! You helped us a lot! Like, a lot! A-and you d-did good… haha… t-thank you. You’re t-the only friend I have left.” Her words made you feel weak, yet special. “…um. O-okay, about the chains… I d-don’t know how t-they work.” You were snapped back into your frustrated state from earlier, unable to understand what had happened to the chains around your belly.

“I was really hoping you’d know,” you reply, your fingers pinching the bridge of your nose, your eyes closed and trying to remember the black streaks. “They were there, and I didn’t pay attention to them, and suddenly, without warning, they were gone. I don’t know when this happened, or why, or how. Heck, I didn’t even notice that the belly chains turned into a tattoo-looking thing around my lower waist, right about my delicate lady parts!” your voice rose tremendously near the end, making you blush as passersby gave you a perplexed look.

Once they were gone and out of earshot you continued, albeit with a lower voice. “I’m scared, Alphys. I really am. A lot happened while I was down here. I learned about resets, met the galactic-version of Undyne and almost got taken to Asgore for my soul, took outerSans to meet swapPapyrus and caused him to avoid the reset that happened and… it’s a lot. It all happened in a short amount of time and-” your eyes dilated at the realization that you were outside in plain view, bystanders having seen you a while back “-I think I’ll message you everything. I think I just messed up. Oh no. I’ll be back!”

“W-wait! _____!”

You hang up, terrified about the prospect of being caught once more. You were so caught up in your need to know about the odd tattoo, and Sans’ appearance during the call, that you had forgotten you were supposed to be in incognito. 

You rush back inside, closing the door behind you. Paige was still in the middle of creating her tomato soup, only to stop and yelp when she realized you were outside. “Oh no, you were outside! How come I didn’t even notice?! I am such a bad guardian!” she shrieked, Cinnamon face-palming beside her. She quickly closed the curtains and locked the doors

“I’ll go find a safer place. You stay here,” you say amidst her frenzy. She stops to glance at you, shaking her head. “I don’t want you to be put in anymore danger. I don’t want you to be hurt or scared because you’re involved with a human.” You look down, blushing. “And also I can be gullible and naïve and forgetful. Completely forgot I wasn’t supposed to leave the house and look at what I did. Undyne might not want to catch me, or she might, but that doesn’t mean somebody else will,” you admit, your hands behind your back.

“Don’t say that! I need to protect you to make sure you’re okay! You can’t go out with those injuries, Sans would get so mad at me, and I don’t want him mad at me, ever!” she grows horrified at the thought. You smirk knowing she had a secret crush on your skeletal friend. “And… and Cinnamon! Yes! My brother!” she points to him, who raises his hands in protest. “He doesn’t want you to leave either!” He shakes his head, denying her words. “But if you do go then let me go too!”

“I don’t know if I can, I feel bad taking you with me-”

She had disappeared from her position, your eyes darting across the visible rooms for her silhouette. “Um. Are you still here?” you holler, only for her sudden appearance behind you to scare you nearly to death. Cinnamon burst out into fits of laughter at your shriek of scare whilst Paige shows you her bag filled with the necessities for a small hike.

“I know where you could go!”

You try to compose yourself, embarrassed to have been frightened so easily. “And where would that be?”

She points at the pocket that contains your watch. “Back at your place! It’s the best place!” You hesitate to pull out your pocket watch, not wanting to bring her back to the laboratory and see Sans. Frankly you would love her company and to know that Alphys will make a new friend, yet she will have to put up with Sans. 

“I don’t know, it’s a nice thought, and trust me it seems like the obvious thing to do, but I don’t want to take you there. We don’t have the nicest people there,” you turn around, not wanting to face her and see her expression of disappointment. 

“Oh it’s okay! Now that they’ve seen me with you I doubt they would accept me here too. So I would choose going to your place with some bad people than stay here all alone, with no one to talk to, scared I would get caught and interrogated, and made fun of others.” Her ears droop down as Cinnamon whimpers on her shoulder. You start to feel guilt build up inside you, a small voice telling you to take them back with you. 

You stand there for a minute, trying not to turn and give in. Cinnamon manages to break this by leaping over to you, his small eyes forcing a tear out. You let out a sigh, turning around and looking at a Paige who is awaiting your response. She looked determined and with her ears held up high. 

“Okay, you can come with me. I have an-”

“THANK YOU!” she blurts out, hugging the air out of you. You try to pry her off of you, choking and gasping for air. Once she did you panted, Cinnamon leaping from joy. “Fill me in on everything!” she squeaks, darting to her room. You follow her, assuming she was going to begin packing for the new move.

 

\--

 

Sans. That’s who you were. Or were you? 

You stare at the mirror in front of you, your left eye socket glowing bright. It flickered and transitioned from many different colors, its power too much for you to control. It wasn’t new. It was something you should be used to by now. Right now you have control over your own body, but not for long. 

A loud howl escapes you, your hands slamming the sink in front of you. Small cracks appear as a result, your pupils twitching at your reflection. This control you have will not last long, nor will you know when you’ll regain it again. As time passed you’ve been losing control, little by little, thanks to your fragile soul. 

But things have changed. You started strong and lost control over time, yes, but the plummeting loss of control halted the moment _____ was introduced into your life. A friend or a foe? That was the question you have asked for so long. Her heart and soul were pure and untinged with the horrors yours had long been succumbed by. In fact, you wanted her gone for the sole reason of helping her keep her innocence and purity. Unfortunately, that was not the case. For reasons beyond your control you were unable to make that happen.

She was compliant despite that. Despite how impudent you’ve been with her she still demonstrates kindness and some level of reverence towards you. It’s enough to make you regain the emotions you had believed you had long forgotten. It was also enough for you to regain more power over your own body and soul. She was the reason you were finally collecting yourself together.

You hope she does not waver nor lose trust in you. She is the glimmer of hope. She is the answer to your loss of control. 

If she had never entered your life you would have lost control by now. You would have allowed somebody else to take control. You would have allowed them to achieve their goals. Those goals are the reason you still cling on to your last bits of soul. It is so you can prevent them from happening, even if it means you are left in the dark and with complete knowledge that, no matter the outcome, you will be sacrificed in the end.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Alphys’ high-pitched cry. _____ must have returned.

Your right hand snatches the duffle coat hanging on the bathroom door whilst the other hand rips opens a door to the laboratory, your pupils sparking back to life at the thought of seeing her again.


	29. He Is Such A Butt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL, we're pretty close to finishing the prologue guys (then I'll update the summary), more than halfway done with it! 
> 
> Thank you for sticking around as long as you did!

“i can care less.”

“I t-think that it’s a wonderful i-idea! We can watch a-anime together!” Alphys adds in her two cents, excited to have another monster aboard the lonely laboratory. Paige was stuck to your side, squeezing your hand as she tried not to fall from anxiety.

“Thank you!” you and Paige said in unison. You were surprised by Sans’ reaction, not so much for Alphys’. It wasn’t a bad thing, but you also wanted him to stay a little longer, even if it meant he would lecture you. Woah there, what are you thinking? You can’t be expecting him to melt the ice between the two of you so quickly. Unfortunately, it takes time. 

“No, really, thank you!” Paige chirps, leaping from joy. “We can watch all the anime you want! We can also have a lot of sleepovers, cooking time, bonding time, learning time, and many other stuff times!” Her ears had formed a heart above her as she went on and on about the plethora of activities the girls could do together. Sans disappeared through his portal amidst the non-stop chatting, making you grow rather disappointed. 

Your watch vibrated. “Alphys, thank you, really,” you say as you approach her. Paige was now talking to her little brother who seemed very agitated.

“N-not at all! I’m very h-happy we’re having another friend move into t-this laboratory. It was get-getting lonely.” 

“I’m going to check out what my friends want,” you tell her as you show her the vibrating watch. “Is it okay if you guide her and show her through the laboratory? She’s awesome and very sweet, you will have no problems at all.” Alphys’ eyes lit up with excitement, always having wanted to guide a newcomer, or anybody really, through the laboratory. Sans had been the one who showed you around and taught you where everything was when you first fell. Ever since, Alphys had wanted to be the guide for the next newcomer. Finally, after nearly a year, this was her time to shine.

“It’s o-okay, yes! Take your time!” She gave you a quick hug and then ran over to Paige, who was still bursting with excitement and wonder. “D-do you like anime?” was the first thing that escaped her mouth when she approached the rabbit. 

“Of course!” Paige responded with enthusiasm, making Alphys’ pupils turn into stars. She immediately leads the way, taking Paige with her. The rabbit turns to you quickly to give you a glance of worry, unsure of this new individual she’s meeting.

“She’s awesome!” you mouth out to her, giving her two thumbs up to reassure her. She smiles and continues following Alphys while her little brother was trying his best to catch up to her.

Finally, you were left alone. The silence was welcoming, but very eerie. Paige and Alphys’ voices eventually disappeared the farther they dwelled into the laboratory premises, leaving you to stand on your own in the main laboratory. But you weren’t alone in thought. The watch was waiting for you to give it attention as your friends were sending messages. SugarSans, outerSans, swapPapyrus, all of them. They were the ones wanting to grab your attention. There were probably others as well, others who had grabbed a hold of your contact information through the skeleton brothers.

It was difficult with so many thoughts revolving around your head. You were injured, the pain lingers, a tattoo had magically replaced your belly chains, you desperately wanted to learn how to fight now that you knew how to dodge, duffle coat Sans was still rather cold, the concept of resets is still new to you, you had no idea how to learn more about your own magic, and you were dying to return back home.

The holographic screen pops before you, names and pictures materializing in the process. Your eyes watch as the colors flicker with intensity, your mind heavy with strong emotions. Confusion, anger, sadness, happiness, and hope. 

You decide to respond to sugarSans first, the sugary friend being your first priority over the others. 

“Hello! It’s been a while! Missed you a lot!”

“couldn’t have said it better myself. how have you been? sweet i’m hoping?”

“Could be better. I have to catch up to you on a lot of things.” You pull out a metal chair from underneath a desk, its polished steel blinding you during the process. It also made a screeching noise as you tried to pull it out. “Uh, sorry about that… pulling out a chair for me to sit on and it’s kind of scratching the floor I think.”

“heh, i don’t mind. jugglin’ the call with paps and tori here. helping them with decorating for the christmas party.” You could hear Papyrus in the background, who eventually approaches and yells out a greeting into the phone. Toriel was also amidst the noise, scolding somebody for having eaten the pumpkin pies she’s baked.

“I can call later if you want? I don’t want to take away from your time and all.” You swivel in the chair, which had the ability to roll and move very easily. Balance was key, and it was something you carefully managed as you played around in the swiveling chair.

“nah i want to stay and talk. hangin’ up on ya will mean another day’s wait. just like last time,” he explained, the sound of a door opening on the other side. The noise slowly subsided, making you believe that he was leaving the source of the noise. “so what’s up? catch me up to things.”

“Sorry about that. I know we’ve been texting much less and calling a lot less than usual. Just been busy with a lot of things. And a lot of those things is dodging death.” You could hear a loud THUD on the other side of the line, followed by a yell from the distance. “Hey, what was that?”

“are you okay _____??? are you hurt? did anybody hurt you? tell me everything, i’m listening.” You jump off the chair and nearly lose balance when you land. After you regain your balance you clear your throat, ready to divulge your story.

You started from where you showed outerSans the other world. From there you definitely added emotions to your tone, enjoying his reactions as he made sure you were okay. It was very cute, and also very lovely, to hear his worries constantly interrupt the conversation. At one point it was getting rather annoying to you, but you didn’t bother to stop him. If you did he would end up following your words and remain silent, which would definitely worry you. 

Throughout your story you wandered through the halls and texted outerSans in the process, who was just as worried for your and Paige’s safety. However, the conversations didn’t last long when you reached a room that was normally locked, one that Sans always deprived you from. 

You stopped talking and took a peek inside, the darkness covering the contents of the room. A scowl formed in your face, your body refusing to enter the darkness beyond. Darkness wasn’t your friend and it was definitely something you were afraid of. 

“what happened out there? somethin’ caught your sweet tooth?”

“Actually I think Sans must have accidentally left one of the private rooms unlocked and cracked slightly open. Taking a peek inside but can’t see anything. It’s a bummer.”

“hey i don’t think it’s a good idea. why not stuff yourself instead?” he insisted, not one to promote eavesdropping or worrisome situations. At times he was the one afraid and with reason when it should be you thinking that way. His thinking has definitely saved you a plethora of times, but this time you truly want to explore the darkness you were deprived from. You wanted answers. 

“It will be quick-no wait, you’re right. I’m actually trembling at the thought of being discovered,” you quickly admit and sigh, a small giggle on the other side of the line. “But I promise I’ll find out one day. It’s just odd he left it open like that, like on purpose.”

“same as what i was thinkin’. but uh, you should really go find a place to crash down. don’t your injuries hurt right now?” his voice slowly changed to that of worry. You close the door and hear the lock return to its original position. Your hand remains on the cold door knob. 

“I will, don’t worry!” you brighten your mood in order to improve his. “If you want you can return to Papyrus and make another song? I really loved the one you guys made last time… it made me feel a lot better.” 

“sure thing, anything for you,” he replied as he rushed back into the room from which he came, the sound of a door opening proceeding soon after. Both Papyrus’ and Toriels’ voices reappear. “mind if i text ya instead? gonna give tori and paps a hand or two.”

“Of course, no, go ahead! Glad you asked since I’m going to check up on Paige here. Remember her from the story? Yeah I let her move into the laboratory I live in. I’ll explain as soon as you’re not busy,” you summarize it for him.

“sounds like a plan, text ya later when i’m done baking some sweets.”

“Okay, bye!” you excitedly said before you hung up, your eyes darting back to the door you had closed not too long ago. The urge to explore its contents returns, yet it is unable to be satisfied anymore. Whether you could have been caught or not didn’t matter, not when the door is now closed. In response to the urge you stand on the tip of your toes, height too short to reach the door’s window. You’re not sure why the window was placed so high up when the only other monster who can see through it is Undyne. To add to the problem Undyne is rarely here, so the purpose behind it is uncertain. Then again you’re sure Sans doesn’t want you to see the room when the lights are on. There’s that too.

“why are you so persistent?” Sans’ voice breaks the silence. You turn and sheepishly smile, moving away from the door just in case. To your surprise he wasn’t heading to the door, but to you. With a scowl he slowly approached you, making you grow nervous. Your hands dropped the watch you were holding, making a clacking sound once it had landed on the cold tiles below. 

“Sorry if I was in the way,” you mumbled him an apology, your eyes directed at the watch near your feet. A soft blush emerged from your cheeks when he was only a few inches away from you, his breaths tickling your lips. “I, um, do you need anything?” you nervously asked, your body itching to move out of the way, but before you could his hands suddenly reached for the bottom of your dress.

A gasp escapes your mouth as your hands try to pry his hands away from your clothing, but they were too weak. “Let go!” you blurted out, trying to push him away, but he didn’t budge. Instead he quickly lifted the dress, his pupils dilating at the sight of the tattoo underneath. Fortunately, that’s all he wanted to see. 

His hands let go of the dress and his expression changes to that of a stern one. You fix yourself, a red blush still burning on your face. “when did it transform?”

“When did what transform?” you mumbled, your thoughts still on the idea that he had seen your undergarments. You watched as he turned his back on your, his hands returning to his pockets. 

“you recall what you revealed to me? that you don’t recall any jewelry having been given to you?”

The blush dissipates, your heart dropping at the realization that he was speaking about the tattoo you were trying to hide. It took you a few seconds to recall what just happened and the view of the tattoo on your lower abdomen. This was the time to talk about it. 

“Do you know anything about it? Why it could have changed from metal to a tattoo?” you begin asking questions, his body turning to face the end of the hallway he was standing on. “I don’t know when exactly it changed… I didn’t notice the difference either. I should have, especially since chains of metal feel completely different than not having any. I only found out about the tattoo because Paige pointed it out when she was helping me with the wounds.”

“no. i don’t know anything about it,” he snarled, the anger seemingly directed at himself. “however.” He leans against the wall opposite from yours, his eyes tracing your dress. “did you utilize any magic during your latest travel?”

You shook your head in disappointment. “No. I guess I needed to be in more of a life or death situation. While I did have a time where I really wished I knew how to fight back and use my magic, I didn’t even stop to think about using it. And even when I was weak and near exhaustion, no magic popped out to help me.”

His eyes slowly fell on to the watch by your feet. His left pupil began to glow, his magic enveloping the watch. You quickly reach down for it, not wanting for him to waste his energy on handing it to you. “Sorry about that, should have picked it up sooner. Should have also not let it fall like that. I know it’s hardy but it’s delicate too-”

“when you return to the portal tomorrow, utilize the green heart,” he interrupted. You look down and take a good look at the heart, its green aura emanating through the clear crystal. “your magic might return when you enter that universe.”

“Why do you say that?” you blurt out, curious. He ignores your query and teleports himself out of the hallway, leaving you perplexed. With nobody around you lift up your dress and take a good look at the tattoo. You couldn’t get a good look at the topmost portion, especially with the dress folded and unable to be flattened around your chest. 

The sounds of footprints make you yelp, your hands swiftly dropping and arranging the dress back in place. It refused to cooperate, parts of the dress folded here and there. 

“_____!!! I see you!” the familiar voice from the space-themed universe erupted, echoing within the metallic walls of the laboratory. You turn and sigh, relieved to know it was not Sans. But you should have known, especially when the footprints were fast-paced and not incredibly slow and heavy.

“Hello!” you wave at her, jogging towards her. She was grinning ecstatically, crumbs dotting around her lips as she took more bites off of the pink sweet bread she was feasting on. Cinnamon was chasing after her, his pants just as audible as her footsteps. “Can I have some of that bread too?” you yell out, making her extend her arm despite the two of you still jogging towards each other. 

“Of course you can! Oh have all of it if you want! It’s just so good that you should try it too!”

“Awesome!”

Her little brother collapsed from exhaustion, rolling over in order for the cold tiles to meet his heated back. Paige stopped as well, returning to his side like the responsible sister she is. You eventually reached them, the little brother refusing to accept any crumbs or pieces of the bread she was holding.

“It’s very good! You’ll like it!” she insists, but her brother evaded every attempt with ease.

“I can have it,” you voice, Cinnamon lifting his head to glare at you. Paige nods happily and breaks the bread, yet it breaks unevenly. Despite that, the larger portion is handed to you, causing Cinnamon to let out a faint cry at the sight of the delicious goodness. “You want some now?” you drawl, yet Cinnamon protests and sticks to his stubbornness. 

You finish the bread in two large bites, Cinnamon pouting in the background. “Do you want my piece?” Paige asked. He scoffed defiantly, rolling away into the direction Paige ran from. “Oh, don’t get lost! You already know where everything is!” She turns to look at you, her hands quickly getting a hold of yours as soon as she threw her piece of bread into her mouth.

You watch as Cinnamon disappears after a sharp turn, making you worry. “Don’t worry, he has a good memory!” she says with a full mouth. “But oh, _____, I love it here! It’s just so… vast! So big! So clean! So beautiful! It’s just for the four of us and OH! We even have our own Sans!” she squealed his name, unable to contain herself. You shyly smile, your mind replaying the moment he was just inches from your face. You try not to dwell too much into the matter, your hands quickly covering your cheeks as they start to burn.

“So, um, do you like Alphys?” you ask, trying to sway your mind away from the dirty thoughts. She smiles eagerly, her ears erect. 

“Oh she’s the best! She showed me just a little of her gi-enormous collection of anime and inventions she’s made. She was also so interesting about the world I used to live in, so we talked on and on and on about it! I really love talking to her. And I think I’m going to love it here!”

“I’m very glad you feel that way. I was worried you wouldn’t. But you have yet to meet Sans. He’s kind of a cold guy. Hopefully you’re used to that,” you prepare her for the worst, already knowing how it feels to get ignored and mistreated. However, the latter doesn’t apply to him anymore. It used to be common, but now it’s as if he treats you with more respect. It’s rather nice to think about, the thought itself making your heart flutter.

“I don’t mind as long as it means I get to hang out and live with two amazing girls,” she gives you a quick hug before continuing with her walk. The two of you merrily walk forward, your body slightly behind hers in order for her to lead the way. Seeing her stride happily made you just as joyful. 

To see another friend living with you filled you with joy, especially since it will allow for you to be able to withstand Sans’ odd behavior. But at the same time you’re worried for her, especially since she might project her sentiments she already carries for outerSans on to this Sans. You’ll try your best to help her with the transition, as well as convincing her that this Sans was nothing like the one she has fallen for.

Although, when you think about Paige and her feelings, it makes you feel rather grim. You are very well aware as to why, but you refuse to touch on the subject with anyone. This is your fight and yours alone. You will refuse to listen to your feelings. This is no time for relationships of any sort, especially when the task of returning home is first over everything.


	30. I Am Not Goku Anymore :(

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps it's not quite the morning anymore, but it's never too late I suppose! :D

The chicken broth was phenomenal. Yellow bubbles dotted the surface of the liquid broth, vegetables softening underneath due to the heat. You weren’t as good with cooking so you had given a recipe to Paige, who didn’t hesitate to try it for breakfast. It definitely didn’t seem like it would fit as a breakfast meal, but she didn’t seem to care. 

The spoon lands harshly on to the crystal bowl, making you cringe at the screeching impact. 

“Oooooh this is so good!” Paige enthused. Alphys was waiting for the broth to cool down whilst looking at you hungrily eat the burning vegetables. “Do you want me to cool it down for you? I can make a fan out of paper and fan out the heat if you want?” she suggested at the yellow reptilian, who sheepishly shook her head. 

“N-no it’s fine. I can w-wait.” Alphys continues to patiently wait, her tail wagging as she counts down the seconds. After finishing the vegetables, you were left with the broth, which was still capable of burning your tongue if you were to gulp it down. Instead of continuing with your food you decide to think back to the green heart. 

“Alphys?” you call to her, who responds delightfully. Paige was full ears as well, her cheeks filled with steaming vegetables. “Do you remember to what universe the green heart takes me to?”

Her grin turns to a frown the second you mentioned the color, her eyes filled with horror. “Y-you’re not supposed t-to go there until t-the very end… w-why do you ask?” she responds, asking you a question in return. You begin to feel your stomach tighten at her response, trying to think back to the conversation you had with Sans yesterday.

“He said that my magic might return if I were to go there-”

“N-no!” she interrupts, standing up and her hands firmly on the table. “P-please, don’t g-go yet! It’s a very d-dangerous place.” Paige exchanges glances between the two of you, unable to understand the conversation as she wasn’t informed on the other universes other than her own. “D-did Sans order you to g-go there next?”

“He suggested it,” you respond, solemnly looking down at your broth. “But I forgot what universe goes with what heart, so I asked you about it. Knowing him I think he’s going to ask me to go there-”

“P-please. D-don’t go yet! You n-need to learn how to fight and use your magic before you do!” she insisted, rushing to your side with her worrying eyes. “E-everybody in t-that place… it’s… it’s everybody for themselves. If y-you went there… you need to be ready to f-fight everybody.” You meet her gaze, your eyes filled with just as much fear as Alphys’. Paige was trying to understand, her ears twitching.

“And how do you think I can get my magic?” you questioned. Alphys remained silent, retreating back to her seat. Paige stood up and lifted her right arm in order to grab your attention.

“I can help you! We can train! I used to be a teacher before… lost my job because the school was shut down, but I still remember what I did! I taught a class for small children about how to awaken their magic and soul weapon! It was difficult most of the time, but I know we can work something out.” Alphys smiled at the idea, standing up again.

“Yes! T-that sounds perfect!” she voiced her opinion. You hesitated, not knowing what to expect.

 

\--

 

Alphys had left the two of you into an empty room the size of a football field. She said Sans often goes here, although she never sticks long enough to see what he was doing. Burns and scratch marks dot the walls around. Even the ceiling contained some sort of mark that could only have been left with an extremely hot attack.

Paige was ecstatic and ready to begin, her little brother having abandoned the idea and sticking to Alphys instead. “Are you ready?” she yelled, her voice echoing through the gigantic room. 

“Yes!” you yell back, a good ten feet from your rabbit comrade. You watched as she lifted her dominant arm and reached for the sky. It only took her a second for a half-inch pink rod to materialize right between her fingers, a string of ribbon falling down from one of its ends. It appeared to be several feet long and it reminded you of the ribbon dancers you would always see in the local newspapers in your town. 

You gaped at the scene, surprised she was capable of summoning her own weapon. 

“Surprised? I love it!” she enthused, hopping cheerily. She then proceeded to twist her arms and make the ribbon spiral around her, shielding her partially from the world outside. Hopefully she was nothing like Sans, who was ruthless and rarely gave you time to act or think. 

“So… how are we going to do this?” you asked nervously. She stops and lets the ribbon fall around her in a crooked circle, her eyes now on you. 

“Have you used magic before?”

“Yes, once… or I believe it was only once.” Her expression was no longer that of joy, but a humorless one. This made you feel better knowing she was taking the session seriously. “But it was with Sans, and it only happened because… because, um, I guess I was in danger. I didn’t even know how it happened, it just did.” 

“Try to recreate the emotions you felt that moment.” You let out a scoff. To recreate the emotions would be a difficult task, especially when it was simply too many emotions jumbled due to being close to death.

But you try anyway.

You close your eyes and try your best. Happiness, fear, anger, sadness, and every other emotion you could think of, all at once. It was difficult, and rather hopeless, as you tried to feel every emotion at once. Some were easy to pull off while others were an arduous task to simply feel them at all.

Feeling both happiness and anger was impossible at this moment. The same could be said for the overwhelming dread of incoming death, which cannot be produced without being in that similar situation.

Defeated you open your eyes and glance at Paige, who was patiently waiting for you. “I can’t. I really can’t. It’s not easy and I don’t know where to even begin,” you explain, your hands moving as you speak. She breathed in and out, collecting herself.

“You don’t recall using any magic while with Undyne?” she asked. You shook your head, disappointed in your own abilities. “Don’t worry, we’ll find a solution. In the meantime, let’s help you dodge and get you tired. Sometimes you don’t get to see your magic until you’ve reached your limit.” You were about to protest, but Paige quickly began leaping towards you, her long string of ribbon following behind her. She gracefully danced about, hopping around you with a spiraling string of ribbon.

“So can you give me pointers as to how you’ll attack?” you timidly questioned, your eyes following her movements. She wasn’t following a rhythm, nor were you able to predict where she’ll hop to.

Suddenly you felt the ribbon wrap around your leg. Your body slammed the ground as she tugged the ribbon towards her, your chest stinging from the impact. Before you could scramble back up she jerked her arm up, forcing your body up into the air. The ribbon unraveled itself from your leg, leaving you to fend for yourself in the open air. 

You manage to recover before you land, nearly losing your balance as your arms flap about. Paige eyed you, her hand moving in circles in order to keep the ribbon in a constant spiral. 

“Oh my gosh I wasn’t prepared,” you breathed out, surprised. 

Her stern expression suddenly flickered to that of one you’re more adept to seeing, that of worry. “Oh you know I don’t really want to do this, but I can’t be easy either. If I go too easy you won’t be ready when you’re attacked again,” she explained, her hand stopping. The ribbon slowly floated to the ground, its texture that of velvet. It’s odd to think it’s made of magic.

“I know but, it’s still odd. Back at the surface I wasn’t taught to do any of this. I mean yeah, I had some karate lessons here and there since my parents thought it would help with self-defense, but here I am. Unable to protect myself. But at least I can dodge, right?” She giggled, thinking otherwise. “Okay, maybe I got used to dodging only Sans’ attacks, and Undyne’s were not as different as his. They were… predictable, and I don’t know why.”

“You were in danger and in tune with what was going on. You’re not in danger right now, so it’s okay.” Her expression returned to that of a stern one, making you pout at what you know is going to occur. “I want you to get used to my attacks too.”

“I can try,” you mumbled, watching her arm actively move to force the ribbon back in motion. Once you cleared your mind she took off, her body circling around you. When the sight of the pink ribbon blurred near you, you dodged it. However, it was just from luck, since the second time she snapped the ribbon it had managed to grab your torso. 

The air escaped you as she jerked her arm back once more, taking your body along with the ribbon. Your legs desperately tried to find the ground, but the world around you was spinning as she begun to make circles with her arm. 

Your hands have difficulty grabbing the ribbon, but once you do you try to pry yourself off. But you fail. She slams you down, making you cough as soon as you got up to your knees. She didn’t give you time to stand up as she lifted you off the ground once more. Instead of spinning you or slamming you back down however, she slings you towards the walls. Her ribbon is no longer wrapped around your torso. 

You impact the wall. A yelp escapes your mouth when you land down on the ground, unable to feel your body. Paige approaches you, leaning over you and worried for your health. 

“Your attacks… are a lot faster than Sans’,” you admit, croaking out. 

“Let’s rest you up. Can’t have the wounds open up-OH! What if I was too rough? Oh no, I hope I didn’t open them up again!” she began to panic, her weapon disappearing in the process. You let out a small chuckle, only to groan when laughing also caused pain.

“That’s okay if you did… I’m the one who wanted to be able to dodge and survive. Can we return after I nap and rest again?” you asked. She shook her head.

“Oh no, not so soon!”

You managed to convince her regardless. After you rested up you spent the next hour showing her that you were ready for a second round. Unfortunately, you were no better at dodging. Anger slowly seeped into you as you tried to recall the way you could easily dodge Sans’ and Undyne’s attacks, yet unable to dodge Paige’s. 

Round two turned into round three, where the pain was no longer there, and where your injuries were beginning to definitely slow you down. Ironically you were also able to dodge most of her attacks, making your friend smile during the end. Of course the training was without consequences, such as your wounds that were now reopened, as well as new bruises to show off.

The next morning arrived and you weren’t satisfied. You wanted to dodge and not get hit. You also wanted to learn how to attack back, but without any weapon or knowledge of your own abilities it was futile. Knowing how agile Paige was, as well as how quick she was to deliver her attacks, there was no doubt she could easily dodge your novice attempts.

“There’s always tomorrow!” she would chirp whenever you beat yourself up about not being good enough. Alphys agreed with Paige, believing that it takes time to be adept at such things. Whenever you asked Sans for advice, which was difficult to begin with, he would either ignore or shut you up by stating that you were nowhere near adept for a full-fledged battle.

SugarSans was in the same boat as Paige and Alphys, writing to you the reasons why there’s no need to become adept in combat. He insists that it’s more important to explore your magical abilities. On the other hand, outerSans suggested to focus on dodging until it was second-nature to you. 

During the second day of training you had also decided to text swapPapyrus, which had been a while since your last contact with him. He was interesting to chat with, but not as exciting or filled with energy as his brother, who begged for the phone for who knows how long. Once he had his hands on it he didn’t stop talking to you for hours. His conversations varied greatly, from fairytales to tacos. 

“NEVER GIVE UP! That’s what I, the MAGNIFICENT SANS, did and now I’m here! A royal knight and helping Toriel make holiday cards!” he had said when you brought up the topic of your training. “I know you want to be like me, but it takes a lot of time and effort!!! It is not easy being me! And-PAPYRUS.” The conversation took a different turn as you heard Papyrus’ response, also faintly, from the other side of the call. “PUT OUT THAT FILTH RIGHT NOW YOUNG MAN.”

“Pffft. Lil bro, I’m like taller than you-”

“I SAID PUT IT OUT!” You heard swapSans clear his throat soon after, followed by a faint giggle. “I am so sorry that you had to learn my brother is SMOKING. AGAIN. Does he not know it’s bad for his health?!? And that he could be helping us make more holiday cards?!? Smoking is counterproductive I say!!!”

It was a nice conversation to have, especially since his voice was constantly fluctuated and it made you laugh. He wouldn’t stop to ask you why, instead he assumed it was because he was a riot and too funny for his own good. And he was. 

His words were enough to encourage you to keep training. Topped with outerSans’ and sugarSans’ encouragement, as well as both Paige’s and Alphys’, you felt unstoppable. But then the fifth day of training came. Then the sixth and the seventh. You were improving, yes, but not as much as you had hoped. Then again you’re not sure what you expected with the injuries always hindering you. 

The progress was slow, but by the eight day, which is when you decided to stop to rest, you noticed you were able to dodge most of Paige’s attacks. They got more difficult as the days progressed. She was no longer attempting to grab a hold of you, but cut and slap the wind out of you. It definitely hurt more than a slap from one’s hand. 

Unfortunately, due to resting that same day, no progress was made of learning how to land a hit. You’ve definitely attempted to throughout the training, but as you feared, she could easily dodge them as if it were a child delivering them. One time an attempt to trip her using your feet failed when she front-flipped and used the opening to wrap her ribbon around both of your arms, exposing you completely.

“hey, uh, c’mon, take care of yourself for me,” sugarSans’ voice erupted through the holograph during one of your breaks. He could clearly hear your small whimpers and yelps you tried to prevent as you carefully moved your body. Despite the soft covers of your bed, it made them burn just as much as the cold floor of the training room did. 

“I can handle myself just fine. Doing much better anyway,” you responded, your free hand tracing the edge of the wound located on the side of your lower abdomen. He sighed on the other side.

“you’re gonna give me a heart attack.”

“Will not. How do you even get heart attacks? You only know about them because I told you about them,” you grumbled at him. Alphys was not too far from you. She was demonstrating to Paige the different mangas she has given to you as gifts, explaining each anime in detail. Paige seems to love it.

“metaphorically speaking.”

“Yeah yeah, I get that. So how’s everything over there? These past few calls have been about me, and not about you. About time I get caught up in candy land.”

Everything was the same in sugar land. Same old sweet stories. It’s one of the reasons you preferred sugarSans and his world… it’s identical to a fairytale. The inhabitants are as sweet and as caring as your own mother. Sweets and bakeries dotted the underground terrains, your sweet tooth always being able to be pleased no matter the place or time. Rarely did any tragedy occur, as if the world was blessed with good luck and sweet times.

Not so much for swapPapyrus and swapSans. You gave them a call again during the next break to catch up on things. You’ve promised the hyperactive Sans you would. 

“Sup?”

“Hello! It’s been a while! I mean only a day or so, but yeah. Wanted to say hi again. Also I promised your brother I would call the next day to tell him about how I was doing with the-”

“IS THAT _____?!?!?!?!” Sans’ voice erupted in the background, catching you by surprise.

“Um. It’s my phone,” Papyrus responded back casually, the sound of loud footsteps audible. “Hey, I think my bro wants to give you a shout-out.”

“That would be lovely,” you respond sweetly, already anticipating the next words. Static and loud buzzing overtook the phone as it was being passed from one brother to the next.

“HUMAN! _____! MY FRIEND! MY UNIVERSE JUMPING TRAVELER!” his words were yelled through the call, making you stop to take in his words. Papyrus must have decided to tell him more about you, hence the new title he has given you since the last call. Surprisingly he isn’t throwing questions right off the bat, but you don’t doubt it will happen soon.


	31. You Would Think The Red Heart Would Match With The Bloody Hell Of This Universe, But The Green Heart Was Chosen Instead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we finished the 20s and we're entering Chapter 31 and beyond! 
> 
> Also Underfell is introduced in this Chapter and on c: Enjoy ^^

“kiddo didn’t reset yet,” outerSans spoke through the holographic screen. You were perching on the edge of your bed, your legs stretching as you stare at the ceiling above. Some of the anime stickers Alphys has stuck there are now beginning to fall. 

“That’s a relief. Last thing I would want is to give you a call and hear you say who was I?”

“heh. yeah, same here pal.” 

You’ve been on the call with him for over an hour. What you’ve learned is that the human who had reset, and fallen down once more to the underground, seems to be a completely different human. They’re on a murderous rampage. It wasn’t new to you, knowing how similar it had occurred in your own universe, but you felt grim. To know outerSans was able to witness the same human friend who has befriended them all now turn against them and murder in cold blood.

He wasn’t taking it very well. One thing was to have hazy dreams and knowledge that different timelines and resets occur, but to actually survive a reset and see a genocide occur with his very own eyes… it was different. It really impacted him. 

“Still on the job post? Selling hot dogs?” you ask, your stomach growling from hunger at the thought. A customer appears to have arrived, hence the short absence he’s making. You take the opportunity and jog over to the kitchen with the watch in hand. Paige was watching a new anime with Alphys, fuming about how the main character was oblivious to the romantic gestures.

By the time you had reached the kitchen, and with legs that were still sore from the harsh training not too long ago, outerSans returns.

“how can you tell?” he drawls. You playfully mock him, opening the dark fridge. Cinnamon rolled into view, the sound of a fridge being opened catching his attention. “so… how are the injuries?”

Your eyes scan the fridge’s contents, unsatisfied with what you were seeing. “They’re healing again. It was my fault they opened, yeah I know, but they’re back to being… well, not bleeding. Paige helped me out a lot with it. Anyway, is Grillby okay?”

There were frozen bags of vegetables, an entire bottom half dedicated to condiments of all kinds, soda and water bottles, and leftover meals Paige has done. The broth and rice don’t seem very appetizing at the moment, but you didn’t have much of a choice. 

“yeah, he’s hangin’ on there. he’s left snowdin’ for a better place and i went and helped him out a bit.”

“He left Snowdin? Is it because of them? The kid?” you asked, surprised to imagine the humanoid-walking-flame leaving Snowdin and his bar. The rice was cold, but the broth was unnaturally warm. Somebody must have recently heated it up and just put it back inside.

“everybody in snowdin’ left. we aren’t taking any chances or risking it,” he explained, his tone lower than before. You threw some broth and rice on to the same bowl, the mixture aesthetically appealing to you. It was mainly because you were starving.

“What about Papyrus?” you blurt out, your stomach churning at the thought of the adorable skeleton encountering such a dark soul. Sans was quick to reply as you microwaved your meal.

“paps won’t die on me that easily. undyne has been training him since day one.”

“You should really keep an eye on him. We couldn’t say the same for the Papyrus in my universe. I didn’t even meet the poor guy,” you admit. He didn’t respond for a short while, his silence bothering you. “I don’t want to think about the possibility, but I just think it’s a good precaution to take.”

“nah, he’ll do fine,” he finally replied, although it sounded rather forced. 

The microwaved let out loud beeps. Your food was ready.

“I really hope so.” You pluck out a spoon from the silverware drawer and stare at the steaming bowl. This will be the last bowl before you leave to another universe today. Duffle coat Sans was rather upset you’ve been wasting time training with Paige and growled for it to stop. Of course, being the timid girls you three are, you all agree. Alphys had the courage to disagree, but it only prompted him to threaten in return. There was no more time to rest or practice. 

The green heart would occasionally pop into mind, making you grow weak at the thought. Thrown into a world where everybody seems to be fighting for survival doesn’t sound appealing. There were numerous times that you’ve told yourself that you’d pretend and show Sans the green heart, only to quickly randomly choose another heart the last second before walking through the portal. If you were to disagree with him, well, you don’t want to find out. That’s not what you want. You don’t want the ice to thicken between the two of you when it’s finally beginning to chip and melt away.

There were still other hearts you haven’t explored, right? You still have yet to travel into the universe connected to either light blue or blue hearts. Purple and orange haven’t been touched either. They definitely seemed more appealing than going to the less desirable of them all. 

Yet his words lingered in your mind. To know that your magic might return if you go to that universe was tempting. During the past few days of training, which were filled with a good dose of pain, didn’t help you in any way to coming closer to wielding magic. Not once have you caught a glimpse of that white shining beacon. It was nowhere to be seen. The more you think about it, the more courage you muster. Perhaps leaving the green heart for last means you won’t see your true potential until late in the adventure, which didn’t sound too enticing either. 

The morning passes by rather smoothly. As you finish your conversation with outerSans, who had changed the subject to your own training, the meal was finally cool enough to be edible. You gorge the meal down, frustrated you weren’t able to summon your own magic to battle. 

Disappointed, you throw the bowl on to the sink and head over to your two friends. Hopefully they were still watching anime. It sounded like something you could do in order to ease your nerves.

 

\--

 

“don’t keep stalling,” he grumbled at your long goodbyes. You were hugging both Paige and Alphys repeatedly, afraid of leaving them behind. Paige had insisted on going with you, but you refused to let her. Whether it’s the universe connected to the green heart or not you didn’t want to risk it.

“Oh are you sure I can’t go? I can help! I know I might get scared and run and eat a lot and worry a lot, especially for my little brother,” she pointed at her brother, who was sticking out his tongue at you from the comfort of his sister’s shoulder. You hug her once more, causing Sans to scoff. “Oh I’m sorry, I’m taking up time, aren’t I?”

“quite so,” he hissed.

“Don’t listen to him, he’s always like this. You’ll get used to it like I did. And Alphys too,” you try to explain. Alphys nods her heard solemnly, walking up to be by Paige’s side. “But the good thing is that, this time, when I’m gone, you have Alphys to hang out with and she won’t be alone anymore.”

“Y-yes! T-thank you for staying here,” Alphys thanked, blushing. Paige hugged her little reptilian friend, enjoying the thought. “B-but… d-do you know w-what to do? W-what heart to go to?” she asked during the hug, reminding you of the idea she had told you to go with. She was terrified of the prospect of getting a call from you in the world of hatred and madness. As a result, she suggested to switch the heart last minute while she distracted Sans, who was capable of easily changing the hearts back with his own magic. 

As she thought, he was intently staring at your every movement. You nervously look down at your watch, which had the green heart showing through its crystal glass. The urge to switch hearts was no longer there, not when the want to see the magic again was overcoming the fact that you might not survive there. And then you realized it.

It wasn’t until now you connected the dots. Sans was aware of the dangers in that world. He deliberately wants you to go there in order to be in the best conditions to use your magic again. The thought itself was enough to make you give up on Alphys plan, determination slowly filling your heart. 

“I’m ready,” you say out into the blue, the three monsters around you staring up at you in response. “Wish me luck, alright? Kind of nervous and afraid… like always, but if it means returning home, then what else I can do, right?”

“Oh oh oh be careful! I’ll be calling and texting to make sure you’re okay!” Paige piped up, giving you a surprise back hug. Alphys nervously approached, hugging as well. 

“Yeah, b-be careful p-please. And m-message or c-call back more,” she added in, unable to let go. Paige broke the embrace and scratched her brother behind his ears. He cooed in ecstasy, enjoying the rub.

“careful out there,” Sans spoke, catching your attention. Paige melted at the comment, admiring how distant and cold this Sans was compared to the one she’s met. It made you feel rather hopeless for her, since your advice and warnings about him only seem to rile her up even more. 

“I will,” you reply to him. You wanted to hug him, yet you were aware he could easily slip out of sight and make you fall from the attempt. It’s happened before. “Thank you all!” you face your other two friends. Paige was smiling happily whilst Alphys looked terrified for your safety.

You give them both one last hug before you turn on the portal before you, which sparks to life in a matter of seconds. 

One last glance is given to your friends, Paige especially, before you pretend to switch to ease Alphys’ worries. The lid is closed in order to cover the watch. Your last look is given to Sans, who smirks after seeing you keep the heart to green. 

You step through the portal. It closes the next second.

With eyes closed you feel a gentle breeze tickle your skin, signaling you that you were no longer inside the laboratory. Your heart was throbbing, stomach churning, goosebumps forming, feet heavy, and body anxious. This was a world unlike any other, and you were about to experience-

“YOU IDIOT, MOVE!”

“No, it’s a human like me! Look!”

You open your eyes, and quickly raise your arms to protect yourself, your body facing the source. However, there was nobody in sight. Looking down revealed a child holding a pot with a yellow flower. A yellow flower with a face, to be more precise. Snowflakes were slowly falling down, landing on their red cheeks and faces.

“Well I’ll be damned,” the flower spoke, their face that of shock and wonder. It looked torn and ragged, as if it went through mistreatment. 

You kneel down and stare at the flower, perplexed. “I shouldn’t be surprised about seeing a flower speak… but I’m surprised.”

“H-hello!” the child piped up, bruises and scratches covering them. You were stunned to see their conditions, your face growing grim. Were they simply trying to lure you in, or were they genuinely kind souls in a world that was supposed to be of horrors? “You’re very pretty.” You blush at the compliment, waving them off sheepishly.

“Awe no, I’m not. You’re the better looking one handsome… pretty… um. Is it okay if I ask if you’re a boy or a girl?”

“A boy,” he responded, not hesitating to hug your leg. The flower looked at your skeptically, studying your every movement. Seeing as how you tend to reach these universes when the last human left, you must have been too early for this one. They looked genuinely happy to see you, which didn’t surprise you. However, with Alphys having warned you, your curiosity begins to peak.

“Is everybody here… you know, not nice?”

“You’re new to the underground, aren’t ya? That doesn’t even begin to cover this awful trash of a place,” the flower had responded before the boy, whose expression was no longer of joy. “We thought we’d never find anybody else like us. Just trying to survive.”

“Trying to make friends,” the boy added in. The two of them looked at you with sad eyes, their bodies showing the experiences that must have been unpleasant. It then dawned on you, out of curiosity, to know if this child carried the same name as the child that roamed both your universe and outerSans, as well as swapPapyrus’ and swapSans’. 

“Is your name Frisk?” you ask, making the child gasp. “I know it’s creepy to know I know it, just… um, it’s a long story. I’ll explain it when I have the time later, okay?” Your explanation didn’t get rid of the child’s perplexed expression. The flower looked anxious, not having given their trust to you just yet.

Taking a good look around revealed the woods you were all too familiar with. They were similar to that of outerSans’ local woods, yet they were… dry. Devoid of life. The atmosphere was eerie and the sound of howls and menacing barks could be heard for miles. 

“We need to go now. We barely just managed to escape the goat woman. She could catch up any second!” the flower reminded Frisk, who nodded. “Are you coming too or what? We can’t be slowed down.”

“I doubt I could slow you down,” you responded as you took a good look at their appearances. It was a child and a talking flower who was probably immobile. “More like I could probably help you? I can try-”

“Come with us!” Frisk suggested, pulling on your shirt. “Please! You’ll get hurt without me and Flowey!”

“It looks like another human has fallen,” a voice spoke from behind, making the flower gasp. They shrunk down, hiding somewhat in their pot. Frisk looked determined and ready for whatever awaits, holding the pot firmly close to his chest. You turn and see Toriel, but it wasn’t the Toriel you were familiar with seeing. Her eyes were yellow with red pupils, her robe black with red details unlike the purple you recall.

“Go go go go,” the flower whispered, fear in its voice. Toriel had just emerged from the purple door that lead to the ruins. It remained open as she approached the three of you, red highlighting the bottom of her eyes. It definitely sent chills down your spine.

“What a horrible mistake you have made,” she said as her right hand rose to her chest while the other began to flicker with fire magic. “my dear.” Alphys wasn’t kidding with the killing instincts these monsters would carry.

Horrified you quickly stand in front of Frisk; your instincts were on protecting the innocent friend you’ve just made. Toriel seemed amused by this, her hands rising up and causing a circle of fire to surround you all. 

“Okay, when I say go, I’ll make a stepping thingy with my hands for you to stand on and I’ll throw you out of the way, okay?” you knelt down and whispered to Frisk, your eyes never breaking from Toriel’s own glare. She had a crooked smile, her pupils dilating.

“N-no, let me help-”

“You’re just a child,” you protested, standing back up. “I’d rather have myself burned than see a child like you get hurt. Now get ready.”

“My children, please, may I ask what you would like to play?” she questioned, poison in her tongue. Frisk keeps protesting, the flower agreeing with your decisions. “How about some blood?” she screeched out the last word, her hands slamming together. You flinch and snatch Frisk into your arms.

You leap out of the way of the incoming flames, landing farther from Toriel. “Now go, please!” you insisted, pushing Frisk with your arms. He looked at you solemnly, unable to utter a word. The flower cowered in fear, refusing to speak.

Fire began to fall above the air surrounding you three, making you gasp. “I can’t attack. I don’t know how. All I can do is run, and that’s what we need to do!” you quickly made up your mind as you snatched up Frisk again. 

“Do not be afraid now, it will only hurt a little bit!” Toriel hollered from the other side. You made a dash towards Snowdin, which was directly opposite from the ruins. She didn’t seem to care and didn’t continue to attack as you got farther and farther. Frisk was clinging to you, his face digging into your shoulder. The flower seemed to be mumbling to himself, his eyes darting everywhere for more danger.

“I’m going into the woods,” you mumbled. The flower protested instantly, but you had already leaped into the dense forest. While no leaves were present, a fog seemed to be present once deep in. However, knowing the dangers that lurked, you stayed away from the fog and remained close enough to the open trail.

Despite being far enough that you were safe from Toriel your legs refused to stop. Fear was seeping into you the more you ran, the voices of monsters and howls beginning to be more noticeable the more attention you pay them. 

It’s been a good few minutes since you have started running and the sound of a nearby yell stops you in your tracks. Frisk and the flower look up, trying to locate where it could have come from. 

“D-don’t stop, keep running!”

“No, what if it’s somebody in trouble?” Frisk responded, thinking much differently than his flower companion. You refused to budge, scanning the vicinity around you for any other monsters. Snow was still slowly falling, which somewhat helped with the eerie and dreadful atmosphere. 

“Hey, aren’t you listening?!” the flower whispered in fear, beginning to turn paranoid. “What if it’s another monster? Oh no, it’s them. Run! I know who it is! Run!”

“Who’s them?” you asked nervously. They opened their mouths to respond, but the sound of leaves ruffling caught their attention. Frisk’s eyes seem to catch somebody out in the trail, making him run towards it. 

“N-no, don’t!” the flower screeched. You ran behind them, not wanting any harm to come to them.

“It’s dangerous!” you hollered.


	32. LE SCYTHE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mondays! Gotta love them Mondays~

Approaching the trail beyond the woods revealed the silhouette that belonged to none other than Sans. Frisk seems to notice, for he called out his name, which appears to make the flower panic. That’s when memories from the picture you’ve seen before you jumped universes appears... the image of both Sans and Papyrus in this dark and eerie place. They looked different. They looked sinister. They looked deadly.

“W-wait!” you barely force out, not wanting to catch the attention of the skeleton. Frisk thinks otherwise, his arms extending as if he were to embrace them.

“Sans!” he calls out rather happily, which caught you off guard. The silhouette finally moves, a faint red glow emanating from its skull. Right when Frisk jumped out from the woods you quickly catch them, dodging the sets of bones aimed right at them with a summersault. 

Despite the dodge, Frisk squirms out and reaches Sans, who looked frustrated.

“the hell are you back for, squirt?” he growled, refusing to be embraced as he dodged the onslaught of hugging attempts from Frisk. You scramble to your feet and grab the flower, who had fallen from the dodge you had made earlier.

“Get him and let’s get away!” he whispered loudly, his voice filled with horror. “He’s the most dangerous of a-all!”

“But he’s… Sans,” you mumbled in response, images of other versions playing in a motion picture inside your head. You didn’t know what to do or what to say, part of you wanting to run while the other wanting to say hello and befriend. The latter was always the best option, especially since you’ve always been doing that in past universes. It might not apply to this one.

“Please!” Frisk begs, only for Sans to quickly teleport out of his reach and teleport farther away. His eye began to glow red once more, bones materializing beside him. Your eyes shrink in horror, already knowing what was going to happen next.

“Frisk!” you scream, dashing towards them. The bones were sent flying towards the child, who refused to budge. Instead he spread out his arms, determined to remain in place. ‘The heck is he doing?!’ you think to yourself, dropping to your feet and sliding next to him before the bones could reach him. 

The flower that had wrapped around your neck without you noticing had formed tendrils that extended before him, attacking the bones out of your direction. “Oh my god. I would have died, right?” you mumbled, the flower nodding in response.

“Because you’re an idiot, that’s why.”

“sorry, didn’t notice ya there,” the skeleton smirked, his canines showing. Among them was a gold tooth, which stood out from the rest. “guess it’s my lucky day, heh?”

Fear overtook you, your mind blank. Frisk stood up and placed himself in front of you, glancing at the skeleton. This made him feel uneasy, albeit the flower cowered once more, only having acted in self-defense.

“I won’t give up! We’ll be friends eventually,” Frisk spoke out, determined. Your eyes blankly stare at Frisk, your mind still trying to understand what was going on. It’s as if you were in a trance, unable to wake up with so many new stimuli and individuals appearing around you. It wasn’t too long ago that your mentality switched to that of dodging, which allowed you to save yourselves from Toriel’s blood-curling wrath. It wasn’t like her, and that alone was enough to give you nightmares. Her yellow eyes and red pupils, which were more pronounced due to the red highlights underneath her eyes, would give you nightmares for many nights to come. 

This was the world Alphys spoke of.

“Frisk!” the flower shrieked, unable to have shielded the child from bones. The child fell to their knees, spitting out blood. The voice snapped you out of your trance, your eyes darting everywhere.

“What are you doing!?! Run again!” the flower blurted out, noticing that you were finally alert. The sight of Frisk’s blood force you to your feet, your eyes glaring at the Sans in front of you. He still had the same smirk from before, the gold tooth mocking you.

“Don’t hurt him,” Frisk weakly spoke out, tugging on your pants. “He’s a friend-”

“you just don’t get it, do you?” Sans began, taking a few steps towards you. “just give up, will ya squirt?”

You stood there, wanting to run, but Frisk’s tugging was enough to paralyze you. “You’re a hopeless cause,” the flower gave up. “Just like Frisk. Idiots.”

“Don’t call him that,” you replied back harshly. “But… I really think we should leave.”

“Not yet! I want to be his friend first!” Frisk protested, forcing himself up. His knees were scrapped and bleeding from the bruises, making your heart drop at the sight. Anger slowly started to seethe out, your glare directed at the skeleton. He seemed amused by your expression, materializing a bone and juggling it in response.

“stop tryin’ so damn much,” Sans growled, the glow returning to his eyes as he began to lift his hand. You didn’t hesitate to grab Frisk and leap out from the ground. 

Just as you predicted, bones protruded from the ground, sharp as knives. 

“No please! Let me try again!” Frisk pleaded, trying to free himself from your arm. You refused to listen, staring intently at the skeleton. He summoned another dozen bones. They were covered in his red aura, reminding you of the bloodshed in the short amount of time spent here. 

“Finally you’re doing something useful. Now let’s run!” the flower insisted.

“No please!” Frisk repeated, making the flower groan. “I promise I’ll do better Flowey!”

“Wait, YOU’RE Flowey? Oh my god I didn’t know you were Flowey,” you blurted out, the name reminding you of the horrors Alphys has spoken about. “I don’t even think I should be talking or helping you out-”

“the hell are you guys yapping about?” Sans interrupted, annoyed that the battle was forgotten about for a short while. “i guess it just makes it easier for me to kill, right?”

“We didn’t do anything t-to you,” you speak out, albeit timidly. Your instincts began to focus on protecting the child you were holding. You’re not sure why you were protecting Frisk, much less somebody you’ve just met less than an hour ago. But deep inside you had the need to protect him. At any cost. He reminded you of a brother you no longer had, the responsibility you had long lost once you were torn away from your own family back at the surface. Something you’ve been holding back was finally being released.

“you think i care? now shut up so i can hear you scream better. ‘bout time my bro gets off my back about finding him some humans.” You make a dash past him whilst Frisk tried to wiggle out, protesting and whining. Flowey remained wrapped around your neck, his trembling able to be felt.

“N-no, stop!” the child kept struggling.

“you won’t get away that easily you squirt.”

The bones blurred towards you, only for your body to react by halting. Your free arm gave a sudden jerk backwards, and...

a transparent white rod forms beside you. At its end the magic curls and, when done, the weapon pulsates out once to notify its creator that its complete.

It was a white scythe with blurry edges.

Without a second’s thought you grabbed it and repel the attack. But the scythe disappeared as quickly as it appeared, the skeleton frozen from what he’s just seen.

You were bewildered, not knowing how to handle the idea that you just created a scythe. A damn white scythe whose magic-covered edges were being shaved off. 

You took the chance while the enemy was still paralyzed, dashing away, both the child and the flower silent as you held them. 

Your feet were filled with energy as you sprinted across the snowy landscape, footprints left behind in the snow. The woods blurred past you, your breaths forming clouds that would be left behind. Frisk held on to your shirt, silent and staring at the trail you were leaving behind. Flowey, unlike Frisk, was alert and scanning the area around you for any other intruders. 

Finally, after a few minutes of non-stop running, an abandoned shack appears. Seeing as how nobody was nearby, nor in it, you leap inside and quickly drop Frisk on the corner best hidden from sight. Condiments were on the shelves hidden under the counter that faced the outside world, ashes and dog marks dotting the walls and wooden floor.

“You’ll be safe here. Need water or food? I actually have some stored so you don’t have to go stealing or asking any mean store clerks for it,” you offered as you open the storage in the pocket watch. Flowey blinked, surprised to see the technology for himself. When you snatched out a water bottle and wrapped up sandwich he let out a gasp.

“What is this? Are you from the future or something?” he asked, the fear no longer in his voice. This eased your nerves, your eyes focused on opening the water bottle that was quite tight. Frisk held his knees close to his chest, staring at the wooden wall before him. 

“You could say that. Except replace future with, um, different universe,” you put it simply, making the flower gasp once more. You handed both the drink and food to Frisk, who hesitated to accept the offer. Once he did he devoured the sandwich, crumbs and pieces of lettuce landing on his pants. Flowey began to look skeptical, not knowing whether to take you seriously or not.

“T-thank you,” he mumbled between bites. Once he was done hungrily devouring the sandwich he proceeded to chug down the water. Apparently he was very dehydrated. 

“Do you want anything? I might have something you might like?” you offered to Flowey, who shook his head. “Oh, well, alright. But if you need anything, don’t hesitate, okay?”

“Why here?” Flowey began, catching you off guard. “Why did you travel here? If you’re from a different universe… why here? It’s the worst place you could be in.” You pondered, trying to find the best explanation to give. Unfortunately, time has run out. The sounds of feet against snow were barely heard, but loud enough for your ears to pick up on. Flowey noticed as well, his expression returning to that of fear.

“Shh.” You place your finger right on top of your lips, which was enough to make Frisk turn quiet. However, being the daring child he was, especially during Sans’ fight, he peeks out to take a good look. You do so as well, ready to make a move if Frisk were to say anything.

It was Sans, but he was not alone. He was with his brother.

“DO I LOOK LIKE A JOKE TO YOU?” Papyrus hollered out, stomping on to the ground below. “WHY HAVE YOU NOT BEEN WAITING ON YOUR POST FOR A HUMAN YOU LAME EXCUSE OF A BROTHER???”

“you look adorable if you ask me. oh wait you did. then you’re an adorable joke,” Sans drawled, angering his brother. “chill. i wasn’t being lazy this time. saw two humans.”

“TWO?!?” Papyrus gasped for air, stunned. “AND WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE THEIR DEAD BODIES HERE. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TACTICS WE PRACTICED?!?!”

“’cuz i didn’t feel like killing them.” Papyrus leaned closer to his brother, his fists in the air and trembling from anger and disappointment. “besides, you wanted to kill ‘em yourself.”

“WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS.” He leans back again, glaring at his brother and breathing through his teeth. “WHY DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF-”

Frisk slipped. You were fucked.

“Idiot!” Flowey said through gritted teeth, glaring at the child. You snatch up Frisk and leap out of the stand, causing Papyrus to let out a gasp of shock. Sans looked just as surprised, quickly angered at the thought of losing to two puny humans.

“Let me try again!” Frisk blurted out, his hands trying to reach a Sans who was too far away. The older skeleton watched his taller brother sprint behind you. “Hello! My name is Frisk!”

“This is not a good tiiiiiime,” you nervously whispered, dashing into the woods. You began to make your way past the trees, making sharp turns and using your free hand as a way to maneuver through the thick forest. Papyrus didn’t lose a beat, hot on your heels. 

“COME BACK HERE HUMANS!”

“Let’s be friends!” Frisk attempts, causing the chasing skeleton to groan.

“I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DO NOT NEED FRIENDS!!!”

“It’s okay!” Frisk keeps on trying. “I can help you get some!”

“You’re dooming us Frisk,” Flowey whimpers, panicking due to a tall skeleton gaining some speed. You tried to lose him by making sharp turns and break branches. But despite the attempts they were futile. Papyrus kept dodging them.

“OH MY GOD. LET ME CHASE YOU IN PEACE AND STOP TRYING TO CLEVERLY SUBDUE ME MENTALLY YOU PUNY HUMAN ON THE HUMAN’S BACK,” he hollered out, his bones breaking the branches you were trying to slow him down with. Frisk didn’t seem to understand the situation he was in and kept talking.

“I know you’re good inside!”

“IF I KILL A HUMAN AND SEND YOU TO THE CAPITAL I CAN PROVE I’M WORTHY OF BEING A ROYAL KNIGHT. MY DREAMS. MY LIFE. THEY WILL BE COMPLETE,” he began to sound more like the Papyrus you know of. This made you more hesitant, your movements got sloppier as you started to connect these individuals with others you already know dearly.

“But don’t you want friends?”

“I WILL KILL ANYONE IN ORDER TO GET ALL THE HONOR AND FAME I DESERVE!” 

“Papyrus! Please!” Frisk kept pleading. The name seems to touch a few buttons, for he begins to growl and catches up too quickly. You gasped in horror of the sight of his silhouette getting rapidly closer. 

“Friiiiisk! What did you do?!” you wheeze out in horror. Flowey yelps out as well, trying to get you to hurry before you all get caught by the speeding demon behind you. You force yourself to speed up, but your legs are beginning to burn from the exercise. Your wounds, which you had not noticed before due to being emotionally focused on other things, were also starting to become painful enough for you to feel. Flowey notices this and starts to panic.

“Hey, can you use those vines things of yours to grab a try and send me the opposite direction? It might catch Papyrus off guard… hopefully.”

“Whatever it takes to get him off of us!” he agrees, no longer wanting to stare back. 

“Okay, on my signal you’ll just summon two of them and shoot us the opposite way,” you begin, quickly glancing back to see the skeleton chasing you. He looked determined to catch you, his face red with anger. Frisk was still attempting to befriend the skeleton, but to no avail.

“Okay, now!” you yell. The flower immediately summons two vines, hooking them both to different trees parallel to each other. You felt other vines wrap around your body, jerking you off of the ground and into the air above Papyrus, who didn’t notice your actions at first. When you had been shot to the opposite direction, and landed safely, Papyrus had finally noticed your absence and quickly scanned around him.

“CLEVER. VERY CLEVER. BUT NOT CLEVER ENOUGH!”

“Run!” Flowey blurted out, his voice being the reason Papyrus found your location. “Shit.”

“STOP RUNNING AWAY HUMANS. YOU’RE MAKING THIS VERY DIFFICULT!”

“Let me go!” Frisk tried to scramble away once more, but his arms weren’t strong enough to budge your arm. “I thought you would help me!”

“I am! I’m saving you!” you quickly shoot back, astonished by his reaction. “I can’t protect you from them when you’re getting so close to them!”

“Please let me try again!” he insisted. “Give me a chance to be friends with you!” he glanced at the chasing skeleton, who hissed in defiance.

“DO AS THE HUMAN SAYS, YOU TALLER HUMAN!” he began to side with Frisk, although not for the reason Frisk believes. You know very well he’ll snatch Frisk up and kill him on the spot. However, you were unable to run forever. Soon you’ll collapse and be vulnerable for the skeleton’s merciless vengeance.

“What should I do?” you mumbled between pants to the flower, who solemnly looked at you. “I’m going to get tired soon… I can’t run forever. I’m sure as hell Papyrus will keep running.” You managed to reach the trail again after a few minutes of pondering, the chase continuing. You nearly slipped when you came in contact with ice, but the scythe materialized once more and help you regain your balance.

“Fight back,” he finally responded. He looked determined as one of his petals flew away with the wind. “You said you couldn’t fight, but I see otherwise. You got a freaking scythe.” You gasp out, not realizing the fact that you were using magic until now. 

“Oh my god. You’re right. I was using magic,” you blurt out, shocked. “I can use magic!” your voice begins to increase. Flowey looked confused, not knowing how to react to your own reaction. “I didn’t even notice, I just… did it. I used it without thinking, as if it were part of my body. It’s so weird. Oh my god. I finally like-”

“RUN!” Flowey yelled, noticing how much slower you’ve gotten. You do as you were told. 

You pass by Sans, who was watching amusingly at the chase. 

“SANS. LAZYBONES. GET UP AND HELP ME!!!” Papyrus yells as he passes him. Sans shrugs and leans back on to the tree he was under, smirking.

“you got it covered paps.”

“THIS IS NOT FAIR. I AM FASTER THAN UNDYNE AND SANS AND I CAN’T CATCH TWO HUMANS?!? I’VE BROKEN RECORDS. I AM INVINSIBLE!!!”

“You are! You’re very fast and you’re catching up! That’s good!” Frisk adds in.

“STOP YOUR BRAINWASHING TECHNIQUES, HUMAN! DON’T BOTHER ME ANY LONGER AND LET ME CATCH YOU!!!”

You were approaching a cliff and an idea suddenly popped into your head. “I’m going to jump,” you voice out, making Flowey screech. “I think I can lose him. Maybe… hopefully the scythe works.”

“MAYBE?!?” Flowey shrieked.

“Or we can befriend Papyrus,” Frisk adds his opinion in.

“NO. BEFRIENDING THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS NOT AN OPTION!” Papyrus interrupts.

“Exactly!” Flowey agrees. You summon the scythe beside you, white and semi-transparent. Its edges were rough and seemed as if magic were being shaved off them. “No no no no!”

“So sorry,” you apologized. You leap and immediately turn. Your hand grasps the edge of the cliff to face its wall. Your arm jerks forward and brings the scythe slamming into the cliff. The seconds feel like eternity as you slide down, the scythe slashing down the cliff and slowing you down.

“THIS IS IDIOCY,” Flowey shrieks. Frisks holds on tight, whimpering. 

Halfway down the cliff’s face is where the scythe manages to stop, the three of you suspended in the air. Papyrus was high up at the top of the cliff, snarling as he noticed the three of you below him.

“MEDIOCRE AT BEST, I CAN DO BETTER-”

“Yeah let’s get out of here,” you mumble to yourself, not wanting to stay and find out what he will do. You let go of the scythe, plummeting to the land below. It wasn’t a high drop. The snow below cushioned your fall, which helped knowing that a harsher landing would have definitely opened some wounds drastically.

“A cave!” Flowey pointed out. You didn’t hesitate to sneak inside. “FINALLY. And this time the damn skeleton didn’t see us enter here.” You slide down the cold walls, panting and wheezing. Frisk was still clinging to your shirt, whimpering and breathing unevenly. “This time we didn’t have to reset. Good riddance.”

“Reset? Please, no, I don’t want to experience that,” you respond between breaths, your body slumping down. It’s gone down far enough that you’re practically sprawled on the ground, your chest rising and falling. Frisk accompanied you, curling beside you. Flowey, who was still warmly wrapped around your neck, stayed alert for any signs of activity outside or inside the cave.


	33. RUN, FORREST, RUN!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should really be using these Chapter Notes for useful tidbits and more productive things, but alas I don't have many exciting things to say other than we're getting even closer to the end of the prologue! Woo!

The small fire illuminated the cave around. You, Flowey, and Frisk had gone deeper into the cave, not wanting to be by the cave's mouth, where any passerby could easily peer inside and notice silhouettes. Frisk had fallen asleep, his chest rising and falling as his mouth whistled out his tiny breathes. Flowey remained awake, not necessarily needing to sleep as much as you did. However, sleep was the last thing on your mind. After everything you’ve experienced you wanted to stay awake as much as possible.

The past hour you’ve been trying to concentrate and summon the scythe, but the attempts were futile. Flowey scoffed, finding your attempts amusing. But after the 51st attempt you had given up, your head leaning into your hands. You ruffle your hair, unable to understand why you could summon your scythe before, but not anymore. 

“Guess they were right,” you finally speak after an hour long of silence. Flowey perked himself up, interested in your words. “I was in danger. Running, panting, saving Frisk, and finally my magic pops up. I’m not in any death-defying situation anymore and its gone.” You lift your head and stare at the gleaming walls around you, the gems embedded in them reflecting back the light of the fire. 

“You humans are weird,” Flowey grumbled, still wrapped around your neck like a scarf. “But your neck is warm, so I guess there’s at least one thing good about you.”

“I just saved you,” you mumbled back, concentrating on trying to recreate the feelings you had experienced before. “But hey, you did save me there too… so thank you.”

“Obviously I didn’t want to die.” He snuggles up between your shoulders, staring at the fire separating him from Frisk on the other side. He studies the child, seeing the bandages and wrappings that were covering the bruises. Flowey had done the honors of wrapping him up while you prepared food for Frisk.

Now he’s asleep, like a baby, and both you and the flower were wide awake. Unfortunately, your magic was refusing to show itself, which began to frustrate you. The most you’ve managed to do was a small white spark, which gave you hopes, but that’s as far as you’ve gotten. Trying to recreate the feelings weren’t helping either.

“You don’t mind if I call some friends?” you ask the flower. 

“Do I have a choice?” he responded bitterly. 

“Just asking. It’s nice to do that, I think,” you explain as you take out your pocket watch. In a matter of seconds, you were dialing sugarSans, who is always the first to get any news at all. “Don’t freak out either… you know how I go to different universes right? Yeah, I know different versions of monsters too. They’re cool… not like here-”

“pal, bud, sweet tooth, how are ya? bout time i got a call,” his voice burst through the phone, not giving you enough time to finish up with Flowey. “how’s the view over there? got me worried and all, knowin’ how you were jumpin’ to a bad world and… uh yeah. just glad you called pal.”

“This is going to be so hard to be used to.” Flowey slides out from around your neck and falls down to your lap. 

“Hey! Oh… there’s so much to say. Um. But first, how are you? Worried about you too,” you admit, watching Flowey dig down into the dirt beside you. He pops up beside Frisk, tending to his wounds. 

“’bout what? what’s there to worry about here in sugar land?” he laughs out. “same old. we finished up decorating the town for christmas. paps even got you gifts. told him how you won’t be able to make it to this christmas, but to keep his hopes up.”

“Thanks, I know he finds it hard to believe that I might not return.”

“hey, so, maybe it’s not paps who finds it hard to believe. i still miss ya. i know we’re calling and textin’, but i really do miss seeing you.”

“I do too,” was all you could muster, not knowing how to respond to it. “But, I try not to think about it, you know? It’s kind of… really depressing,” you admit, your eyes beginning to water. You quickly turn around, your back to the fire in order to avoid them from seeing. “And thing is… I have bad news too. Which doesn’t help really, haha.” 

“what happened?” he immediately blurted out, his tone that of a worried friend. You take your time, thinking back to the events that had just taken place since you’ve entered this world.

“Long story short, I… I, no, you know, I’ll tell you everything. Okay so I entered this world right? The nasty one I told you about that I’d visit, and it’s… just like Alphys pointed out. But right off the bat, by coincidence, I met with Frisk and Flowey!”

“flowey, you say?” he interrupted, skeptical.

“Not the one you know of, not at all! This one… he’s very nice. He’s the one protecting Frisk and who saved me-okay anyway, off track, silly me. To continue, so I met them right? And Frisk wanted to be friends with the monsters down here. But then that’s when we bumped into Toriel. And Toriel was not the nice Toriel we both know. She’s… she’s just like how Alphys told me about. Thirsty for blood and death. As is every single monster here! No kidding, we even came across Sans and Papyrus, different versions of you guys, who were out to kill us too!”

“you’re okay right? did you get hurt? did you?”

“Well, kind of, but not as bad as when I encountered Undyne a while back. Surprisingly I did very well with dodging and all. And you won’t believe it, omg… I used magic!!! I actually used magic!” you squealed, excited at the very thought. “Sans, it was a scythe! A scythe! That’s so cool! I used it without thinking, like from instinct, and it protected me. It’s as if I already knew how to use it. I used it like a pro. But now… now… I can’t even summon a stick.” You sigh and turn back around once more, the flower studying your every movement. He seemed interested in your words, especially in the voice on the other side of the call.

“you’re killin’ me here. now i won’t stop worryin’ about you after what i heard,” he admits, his voice rather grim and low in tone. You quickly try to cheer him, not wanting him to feel that way.

“Don’t worry! I’ll message you more often if that will help you feel better. I don’t want you to worry about me. I think I’m doing pretty good so far… especially with Flowey and Frisk by my side. I don’t want to leave them, and I know I could easily just transport them back to my place, but I know Frisk doesn’t want that.”

“don’t push yourself out there, ok? worried sick here.”

“Thank you for caring though. It does make me feel… like, I don’t know, it gives me the motivation I need, you know? You’re the first I’ll tell anything to. Also tell Papyrus I said hello. It’s been a while since I talked to the sweet guy.”

“sure thing. got that covered.”

“Are you okay between? You don’t seem chipper anymore as you were in the beginning of the conversation.”

“well yeah. just heard somebody i’m very close to is in a place where death is near.” You remain silent, unable to respond to the comment. You could hear a sigh on the other side of the line, followed by Papyrus’ signature laughter in the background. “paps made a song for you too. he wants you to give it a listen when he’s done rehearsin' it.”

“Of course, won’t miss it!”

“yeah, hope so.” He hung up abruptly, making you blink in confusion. His behavior has been getting more unpredictable, making you worry a bit more every time you call him. However, seeing as everything he’s been hearing and learning about, you couldn’t really blame him. If it’s what he really says, then he really must be worried for your clumsy self. It makes you feel… loved.

“And what world is that, again?” Flowey spoke up, rubbing Frisk’s back. You smile at the comfort the flower was giving the poor child, making him blush. “W-what is it? Why are you smiling like that?”

“Just find it cute you really show you love Frisk. It’s nice to see that,” you respond, standing up and dusting yourself off. He blushes and puffs out his cheeks in protest. “But um, you just heard Sans from a universe where everything seems… all sweets, sugar, happy people, a lot of love everywhere, and everything nice. The opposite of this place really. But it’s also the first universe I ever traveled to. That’s why when I started to travel to other universes, I was badly accustomed to the sweet land. Facing the harsh reality is… scary.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.”

“Since when did Frisk fall down here?” you ask, eager to know more about these two individuals. “Thought it would be nice to learn more about who I’m helping out.” He hesitated, his glance switching from you to the end of the cave in the distance. After a few minutes of silence, he firmly sits himself on top of Frisk, who was still sleeping heavenly. 

“Frisk has been here for a few days. Won’t bother talking about resets, not when you already know about them.” The fire flickered and sparked with life, cracking and clacking light into the darkness. “Forgot how many times he’s had to start over and over. To see him die from fire, bones, injuries, bleeding… it’s horrible. It’s hard to see and fail to save him.” 

You take a good gulp of water, swishing the water inside. The sting of water against small cuts inside surprised you, unaware that even the inside of your mouth was damaged from what was occurring around. Another surprise was the realization that the injuries given to you nearly a week ago were already painless, and you thought they would last longer.

“I’m here now. I won’t let you go through more of that.” You approach Frisk, kneeling beside them. “Nor will I ever let anyone harm him. I mean, obviously I didn’t do a good job of it so far, but I’m trying. I really am.” Your hands gingerly sift through his hair, the soft strands tickling your skin.

Flowey glances at the child, hopeless. “Frisk is determined to befriend them all. He won’t stop. Even if they keep killing him… I called him everything I could think of. An idiot. Stupid. Gullible. Hopeless. Lost cause. More even. But he just won’t give up. So…” Flowey’s expression regains energy, his speech motivating himself. “So that means I have to cling to hope, right? Haha… ironic, isn’t it? I get to live in a world where everybody is killing everybody else. You’ve seen the complete opposite.”

“I won’t leave yet. I need to know you guys are safe, and right now that’s not what I’m seeing,” you say softly. Your eyes are starting to feel heavy as you yawn, your mind slowly losing track of what was going on around you. 

“Go to sleep, I’ll stay up and keep watch.”

“Oh what makes you think I’ll sleep? I need to watch too in case somebody attacks!” you force yourself to stay awake. This doesn’t last long. Flowey stares at you, watching your half-open eyes slowly scan the area around. He rolled his eyes, unamused. 

“Stop being an idiot and get some sleep. Don’t want you weak and fatigued. Please,” he insisted, burrowing down on to the soft soil underneath. You tried your best to stay awake, but the darkness that surrounded you when you closed your eyes was very welcoming. What started as “I’ll only close my eyes for a minute” turned into a five-minute nap.

You succumbed to your exhaustion, feeling small vines blanket you in the midst of your sleep.

 

\--

 

Dreams were fleeting and quick, no doubt about that. This dream was no different. 

It was rather hard to see; the dream is being shown in your mind as if it were through an old colorless television. The setting was in your house back at the surface. Both your parents were home and having fun. Your little brother was running through the house trying to capture the household’s rapid house dog. It was a scene you’re all too familiar with. It’s the same routine you’re used to every weekend. College work has yet to be done, you think to yourself in your dream. Yet, again, this was a dream, and you were looking at a younger version of yourself. 

But this was no ordinary dream. It was that dream. The dream where, right when you sit on the recliner and pull out your biology textbook, your brother slips and falls. He was inches from landing on the sharp end of the coffee table, but in the split of a second, you see a spark of light. The next second your brother had fallen feet away from where he’s supposed to be. Your father was standing by the doorway nearby, his hands glowing pale red. 

You didn’t question it. More like you’ve forgotten and decided not to dwell into the matter. When you tried to ask him if what you saw was true he simply dismissed it as your imagination. And you believed him. He was your dear father, and beloved family doctor, so there was no reason not to. 

For the first time you’re beginning to notice small details about him that you didn’t think were significant. The way he was able to heal many kind of patients, especially those who were emotionally traumatized. He would, just like that, magically cure them. The way he saved you from the cliff. The way he prevented your little brother from impacting the sharp end of the coffee table with his chubby face. The way he demonstrated ridiculous strength when you’ve never seen him exercise or do physical work that could allow him to do so. He rarely ate, slept, and has a pretty damn good memory.

The more you think about these events, the more you realize he might have been more than you thought. He was more than a doctor. He was more than your father. He was more, but you couldn’t put your finger on it.

What could he be? Your mother seemed rather ordinary, clumsy, and silly compared to your father.

“Wake up.”

Your body jolts up, beads of sweat barely forming from the heat of the fire still burning beside you. You scrambled to your feet, using your sleeves to wipe off the sweat and dirt from your face. Flowey was climbing up your body, his face full of despair.

“What is it?” you murmured out, still trying to wake your mind up. Your body was alert, yet your mind was still half-asleep, thinking back to the dreams you had.

“Frisk isn’t here!” Flowey squeaked, frightened. 

“W-wait what? Are you being serious?” Your eyes darted around the vicinity, your panic rising the more time you spent searching for the child. He was nowhere to be found. But freshly made footprints leading out the cave could be seen. They seemed to have been made from none other than Frisk. 

You leave the fire unattended and quickly follow the footprints while Flowey snuggled himself inside whatever pocket you had available. You could feel him toss and turn. 

“Did you just wake up and see him gone? Or what happened?” you asked when you reached the mouth of the cave, astonished by the child’s determination to befriend the monsters. To know he’s out there, in the wild and possibly getting harmed right now is something you’re trying not to worry about.

“Yeah, stupid me fell asleep. I woke up and Frisk wasn’t there anymore! Stupid, stupid, stupid,” he slapped himself silly with his tendrils. He then pops out from your pocket and takes a good look behind you, solemn.

“It’s not your fault. We just have to find Frisk.” 

“Easier said than done,” he grumbled. You take a dash out the cave, your feet making bigger footprints beside Frisk’s smaller ones. They were beginning to disappear as more snow filled them, making you panic. 

You go up the cliff’s side, where a trail of footprints lead you back up to where you had last seen Papyrus. And it wasn’t the Papyrus you were happy to see.

“That idiot. We need to find him before he resets.”

“I knoooooow, and the last thing I want is to forget any of this happened,” you responded, afraid of experiencing a reset. You have never stopped to wonder how it felt like. OuterSans could easily inform you on that, but it was something you didn’t bother asking about. You figured it was a rather sensitive topic, especially when he sounded grateful for you to have saved him from experiencing the last one.

You reached the top of the cliff. Frisk’s footprints were smeared, yet still faintly visible. It was enough for you to begin following them, but not until you heard the sound of feet going through snow. They weren’t yours either.

“Run!” Flowey shrieked. “And stop following us!”

“ugh, you again. when will you learn this isn’t child’s play,” a familiar voice spoke behind you. You turned, your body ready for any attacks. 

It was Sans. “lookin’ for the kid?”

“What did you do to him!?” Flowey demanded, locking eyes with the red pupils. You softened your stance when no attacks were being created by him. “If you land any bones on him, I’ll tear you apart!”

“too bad you have no bones for me to break,” he grumbled. He then switched his stare from Flowey to you, making you grow tense. “heh. you got bones, don’t ya?” He immediately closes his right eye whilst his left pupil glows red, prompting you to prepare for a battle. 

“Ignore him, let’s find Frisk!” Flowey insisted. With the flick of his fingers he summons bones, which spun on their way to their master. “_____!!!”

His hand quickly punches forward, the bones following suit as they rocket towards you. You dodge them, albeit with difficulty and with a yelping flower. He sends another barrage, only for you to dodge them all as well. His frustration quickly set in, the next set of bones flying towards you at a greater speed.

He switched tactics and suddenly surprises you by slamming his hands down to the ground. A straight line of bones shoots out from the ground, making you gasp. You barely dodge it and, from the corner of your eyes, see a flicker of his pupils. You immediately cross your arms in front of you and fall at the impact of bones against them. 

“Go go go!” Flowey repeated, slapping the next set of bones away from you. 

“at least the squirt isn’t as tough,” he finally spoke, materializing more bones around him. “he’s a joy to play with. you’re a damn bore.” You roll and dodge them, making him grind his teeth in frustration. You leap up and start to run off in the direction of the footprints.

“Protect me!” you yelled at Flowey, your eyes trying to locate for any signs of Frisk other than the dying footprints. After a few sharp turns and dodges of bones from the distance you came across Papyrus, making you gasp from fright.

“STAY WHERE YOU ARE, HUMAN!!” Papyrus hollers from the distance. He began to head straight towards you at lightning speed, making you yelp. 

“Frisk!” Flowey rasps out, calling to him. You hesitate before abandoning the footprints in plain sight and heading towards the woods once more. You leap and jump past obstacles, not wanting to be slowed down knowing two blood-thirsty skeletons were hot on your trail. 

“Didn’t think I’d end up seeing them again so soon,” you admit, panting between words. 

“We need to get away and find Frisk soon!”

“I know that!” You stop and turn around, but you wish you hadn’t. Papyrus was still charging towards you, but in the background... Frisk’s silhouette was visible. 

You didn’t hesitate to charge past Papyrus, surprising him by your sudden change in direction. Sans was nowhere to be seen, to your surprise, but you didn’t bother to wonder why.

“WHY ARE YOU GOING-OH FRISK!” Flowey quickly caught on, hope released from his last few words. The child turned around, a wide smile erupting from them. “WHY DID YOU LEAVE US?!”

“Flowey! Friends!” he pipes out, jogging towards you. Once you reached him you try to pick him up, but he easily slips by and runs towards Papyrus, making you groan. “I’m sorry! I need to make them like me first!”

“Frisk please!” you cried out, jumping ahead and blocking their path. He looked up at you, his puppy eyes, getting the best of you.

“I will never give up, even if it means I need to run away from you. Trust me! I only died because, because, um um um! Because Flowey and me couldn’t befriend the two of them alone at the same time. I’m not that good,” he explains. 

“We don’t have time we need to go!” you screech. Flowey suddenly expands and shields you from Papyrus’ oncoming attacks as he got closer. “I can’t protect you forever-”

“Don’t! Please!” he begged, his arms close to his chest. “I can do it! Give me time!”

You turn and gasp, pushing Frisk out of the way of Papyrus’ bones. You received the impact, crying out and feeling the pain of the older wounds as the bones grazed them as well. Flowey jumps off of your hood and on to your chest, his vines blocking the next few attacks. 

You recover and dodge the next set, but only out of fear. The pain was enough to change your mindset, your body crying out for help and rest. “Okay, fine! You know what you’re doing,” you said through gritted teeth, focusing on dodging attacks. “Flowey, go with Frisk and protect him-”

“And why would I-”

“GO!” you shrieked, forcing the plant off your body. You throw him towards Frisk and immediately summon your scythe, using it to block the next set of attacks. Papyrus had finally arrived, stopping feet in front of the three of you.

“NYEH HEHEHEH, WE MEET AGAIN. FINALLY. OH MY GOD YOU ARE GIVING ME A WORKOUT WITH YOUR RUNNING. STOP IT. I COMMAND YOU, HUMAN,” he hollers, crossing his arms in front of his chest while one of his legs began to tap the ground in annoyance. “DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT SOMEBODY LIKE I NEEDS TO KEEP HIS CALORIES IN CHECK?! NOW I NEED TO EAT MORE-”

“Thank you!” Frisk gratefully replies to your actions, leaving with Flowey to find who appears to be Sans. You were then left alone with Papyrus, who seemed taken aback by Frisk’s disappearance. He uncrossed his arms, glaring at you.

“WHY DIDN’T HE STAY TO LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY?!? UGH. I WAS GETTING TO THE BEST PART TOO!” he whined. The scythe was still by your side, your eyes admiring the work of it. Finally, you’ve summoned it again, but only from self-defense. Unfortunately, the moment you realized you were wielding the scythe, it has disintegrated.

“IF ONLY MY BROTHER HAD THE GUTS TO-OH MY GOD, DID I JUST. OH MY GOD.” He pinched the bridge of his nose in shame, his other hand firmly on his hip. “UGH. IF HE ONLY SPENT HIS TIME LOOKING FOR HUMANS AND KILLING YOU PESTS THEN I WOULDN’T BE DOING ALL THIS WORK. ASGORE HAVE MERCY ON ME.”

“Um,” you begin, thinking back to the other Papyrus’. Hearing him dialogue in front of you reminded you of his other versions. He was no different. He was too similar for you to ignore. He was too similar for you to fight against. Guilt starts to clog your throat, making your mouth unable to produce words.

“SPEAK UP LOUDER HUMAN. I DON’T HAVE ALL DAY… BUT I HAVE ENOUGH HONOR TO HEAR YOUR LAST WORDS BEFORE I KILL YOU,” he proudly states, pounding his chest for dramatic effect. You begin to tear up, realizing that you had been in the mindset of dodging and wanting to kill skeletons who weren’t that different from others you’ve met. 

But they weren't the same. They were different, right?


	34. He Is So Sweet I Just Want To Pinch Him

You drop the scythe, which proceeded to disappear in the blink of an eye. Papyrus eyes you skeptically, astonished by the sudden change of behavior you were demonstrating.

“IS THIS ANOTHER TACTIC OF YOURS? ARE YOU TRYING TO BE CLEVER WITH ME JUST LIKE THAT OTHER PUNY HUMAN? I AM AFRAID IT WON’T WORK! I CAN EASILY LOOK THROUGH YOUR TACTICS-”

“Papyrus, I’m so sorry,” you force out, sobbing as your vision slowly replaces the menacing figure in front to that of the sugarPapyrus you’re familiar with. He stops, his face expressing confusion. “I think I’m starting to know what Frisk is talking about. I mean… if it’s anything like-”

“DON’T!” a voice broke through to you, an oddly familiar voice that belonged to neither of the evil versions of the skeletons here. Your eyes snap back to reality, sugarPapyrus’ figure disappearing to reveal a tall figure inches away from you.

It’s as if time had slowed down. Papyrus was close to giving you the final blow, his hands holding a bone with sharp ends. But the scent of mints and candy canes penetrated you first. 

Then the next second you weren’t there anymore. You were somewhere else entirely. You were by a waterfall, the mist quickly waking you back to reality.

“Oh my god.”

“are you okay?”

“Where am I. What happened. Damn what did I do-”

“hey, you’re freakin’ me out here.”

Your eyes finally meet the gaze of the monster who had saved you from Papyrus’ sudden attack. It was sugarSans. His pupils studied your body as his hands rummaged through your clothes, checking for signs of injuries. 

You clamber to your feet and stare down at him, unable to understand why he was physically in front of you. Were you dead? This wasn’t happening. No, more importantly, now that you weren’t by Papyrus, does that mean you’ve left Frisk to fend for himself? Oh you were a mess right now with your hands on your head as a headache ensued. 

“I. Um. Er, uh… first things first,” you manage to say after a while of pondering and fuming with anger due to your confusion. SugarSans stands up, worry scribbled all over him. “Why are you here? It’s impossible. You’re not supposed to be here. It’s… WHY?” you asked rather quickly and incoherently, unable to process your thoughts accurately. Your mind was everywhere.

“uh, yeah. thought i would freak you out, heh,” he blushes, his hand scratching the side of his skull as his pupils drop down to the ground. “long story bud. care to listen for a few minutes?” He looks back up at you, only to remain awkwardly silent as your mind focused on your own problems. 

“This is impossible. I mean I can do that stuff, I have a machine that lets me, but you? I didn’t know you could jump through universes… no, you can’t. So how?!” you spoke to yourself, frustrated. He lifted his finger in order to prove his point, but gave up when you didn’t give him your attention. “I can’t even think. There’s too much, too much! I’m… I’m a mess.” You were biting your fingernails, a range of emotions clouding your judgement.

You remained silent and with a blank mind for a few minutes before you came back to earth. You look up and notice Sans beside you, who was intently studying your expressions and mumbling. Awkwardly and silently, your hand drops down to your side as you turn to face him.

“Am I… dead? No, because if we both died we wouldn’t be in the same heaven, right? Is there even a heaven for you guys? Like, does it work the same?”

“_____,” he softly called, shutting you up. You were unable to stay still, your foot tapping the ground as you tried to calm down your breathing. “here, let me help you out-”

“No, don’t touch me,” you snap back, not knowing what was going on. “…please. I just don’t know. I’m confused. I really am.”

“let me explain,” he offered. You hesitated, your eyes darting everywhere as if the answers were scribbled on the walls. After a few minutes of internal panic, and distraught, you slowly nodded. He lets out a sigh and leans against the wall conveniently located beside him. 

“I’m listening.”

“so. ‘member when i said i would find a way to have us meet again? i wasn’t playing around. ever since you left… i went back to the core and my buddy alphys. she helped me research and try to find out a way to make that happen.”

You were gaping at him, unable to process that your friend had succeeded in traveling through universes. “And I guess that worked… it worked! Oh my god, it worked. How the hell did you do that? That’s such amazing technology, I never thought-okay. So how did you find me?” you stumbled over your own words, amazed yet stunned. He began to smile, the first in today.

“used your calls as coordinates. all i cared ‘bout was getting to see you, and sweet lord, am i glad i did. you could have died,” he said the last word through gritted teeth. “killed by a diff version of my bro. my bro. heck, didn’t think this place was this bad,” his tone started to grow coarser, his hands moving as he talked. 

You take out your pocket watch. “Thank you. But I need to return.” He gave you a stupefied look, unable to grasp your words. “I need to find Frisk. He could be in trouble!”

“no, you ain’t going back there. it’s dangerous. you could have died.” 

“But Frisk, he needs my help. What if they kill him?!” you retort, your voice croaking.

“you could have died,” he repeated, no longer leaning against the wall.

“You can stay here, but I’m going to find them. No, stay here, please. Yes, it’s dangerous, but I don’t want you hurt-”

He scoffed, dumbfounded. “hurt? _____, you’re a walkin’ bleeding mess. i can’t keep poppin’ in and saving you when you’re about to be stabbed by the evil-cloaked version of my bro,” he replied, hurt.

“I’m very happy that you managed to defy all odds and find me here, yes, but I need to find Frisk. Nothing you say will stop me,” you respond, walking away. He quickly takes a hold of your wrist, but you easily jerk away. “Please, I don’t want you hurt either.” He looked overwhelmed, unable to spit out any more words as you glared at him.

“heh, stubborn as ever. never able to win against you, huh?”

“I’ll give you a call or text when I have Frisk safe with me.” He looked saddened, his smile having been changed to a frown. Your chest begins to feel heavy the more you look, causing you to turn your back to him and walk away.

“not alone!” he blurts out, making you stop in your tracks. You remain standing and listen to his footsteps, a part of you delighted he has decided to become a part of your dangerous journey. “i won’t leave knowing you’re riskin’ your life. i want to be there to keep you safe.” 

“I’d rather you not,” you turn slowly, not wanting to meet his gaze. His non-matching shoes didn’t make you feel any better, their color scheme being unique to him. 

“i’m afraid,” he spoke, his tone indicating he was on the verge of tears. This made you glance up. “you’ve made a big change. hehe, not sayin’ i like the old you better, but you’re leavin’ me behind here. you’re maturing before my eyes, quickly, and i’m fallin’ behind. ever since me and paps stopped seeing you… it wasn’t the same.”

You feel a pang. Seeing him like this broke your heart. And he wasn’t wrong either. “No no no, don’t say that, I’ll never leave you behind, no. But I don’t want to see you sad, okay?” you try to reassure him without success. 

“nah, just that we’re all sweets and giggles. never saw a fight. never really used my magic. never really wanted to go to the surface… never really wanted to go back home.” His arms suddenly wrap around you in an embrace. You don’t hesitate to hug back, having yearned for such affection for a long time. “but, uh, you did. all that. and it made you a better person. a person i want to keep alive.” 

“Thank you. You’re what I needed.” He definitely made you feel better, especially after his kind words. The scent of cinnamon apples coming from the ruffled ends of his jacket made this bittersweet. Both literally and figuratively. “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel that way. I never intended for you to feel like you were being left behind. You’re the first awesome skeleton I go to,” you admit, breaking the embrace. 

You give him a genuine smile, the two of you only feet apart as you try to think of the next words to say. Tears were streaming down his face, a faint blue blush had formed across his face, and he was definitely trying his best not to break eye contact with you.

“I’ll protect you,” you say, startling him. “One day we can train so that we can totally combine our abilities and use the best of both. You can literally like… jump through time and space,” you explain with your hands. “Now that I know I can wield a scythe, although not from sheer will as of yet, I can’t dodge in time sometimes, nor do I have openings. I don’t know how to attack back yet… and well… now that I think about it, it’s not a very good idea, is it? Haha… oh, I don’t think I can even hurt a fly with this,” you admit yet again, growing distraught by your own words.

He wipes the tears away with his sleeves, your musings cheering him up.

“wanna take a shortcut?” he says with a raspy voice. You nod. He quickly forms a portal to where he had last saved you from, making you grow tense at its sight. He seems to notice, patting your back to make you know he was ready to help you with whatever became an obstacle. “you’re a strong gal. you have a freakin’ scythe.”

“Yeah, I do,” you agree, his words being enough to encourage you somewhat. “Let’s go.”

 

\--

 

That idiot. 

“you just don’t get it, do you,” the red-eyed skeleton hissed.

Frisk was slammed to the ground, voice disappearing from the numerous of times he's yelled... the numerous of times he's called out to him. But Sans refused to listen, yet Frisk was determined as hell to earn the trust of this short skeletal nightmare.

But the taller one wasn’t nearby, Papyrus, making Flowey worry about your own condition. Negative thoughts started to accumulate inside him, his body trembling from the thought of having lost a friend. A friend that he was fond of. One Flowey didn't think he would get attached to so easily.

“I-I-I won’t give up!” Frisk bellows, struggling to his feet. Flowey was injured, only one petal left on him. Cuts and bruises had been made, his strength no longer with him. The flower had given it his all. He's even defended Frisk for as long as he could, which was long enough to make this annoying skeleton’s attacks finally die down. It’s as if the kid’s determination was finally working. It wasn’t all in vain.

“Don’t give up!” Flowey blurted out. Frisk quickly gives him a thumbs up, his face filled with pride and determination. It made the flower sick. But it also made him smile despite the suffering.

“Thank you!” he yells back, both his hands cupped over his lips to try to make his tiny voice even louder. Flowey was only a few feet beside him, snickering. The skeleton looked both impatient and vexed, his left pupil glowing bright red once more. Frisk prepared himself.

“give up you little squirt.” His irritation was clearly showing, his canines clearly visible. A red glow suddenly appeared around Frisk’s silhouette, frightening the flower. 

“Don’t you DARE!” Flowey shrieks, leaping out of the ground and on to Frisk whilst vines unearth themselves. They cling on to Frisk, causing Sans’ magic to struggle with levitating Frisk. Unfortunately, to the hero's dismay, the vines could only do so much. He summoned sharp bones to cut the vines, allowing him to levitate Frisk up into the air.

“and you, talking flower, get the hell out of my fight.”

“I won’t abandon Frisk!”

“heh. suit yourself. hope you enjoy the taste of sweet death,” he drawls, his grimace sending chills down the flower's body. He quickly jerks his arm all over, the red magic soon following his orders. Flowey watched in horror as Frisk’s limp body was thrown like a rag doll, impacting the ground numerous times before the skeleton had his fill of gruesome imagery. 

The magic disappeared from around Frisk, dropping him to the ground. A groan escaped his lips, unable to do anything beyond a crawl.

“P-please… I just want to be friends,” he begged, his eyes teary and directed at the skeleton before him. Sans flinched, summoning bones and pointing them at the crawling child. “D-don’t be afraid… I just want you to l-like me-”

“you, a human, think we could be friends? heh. dream all you want. the stars are miles away and dead, just like your dreams,” he responded harshly, his hand lifted above his head. He was ready to attack, the bones aiming at the defenseless child and awaiting his orders. 

However, to their surprise he hasn’t budged his arm. They watched as Sans glared down at Frisk, a bead of sweat falling down his temple.

Flowey wanted to speak, but his mouth refused to move. He also wanted to help, but not with a body who refused to listen. Nothing was going his way and all he could do was hope and dream. 

So the flower will do the only thing he thinks he can do; he closed his small eyes and took a leap of faith, unable to let the bones pierce through the child.

“FLOWEY!” Frisk yelled. But the flower felt a pair of arms snatch him from the air, making him open his eyes in shock. But it wasn’t Frisk. It was Sans. “D-don’t hurt him!”

“this poor thing? never.” His bony fingers gingerly grasp the last pedal, making the flower grow anxious about what he might do. “to kill or not to kill...” 

“Let go of me you freak!” Flowey cried out, but then let out a louder cry when he rips off the last pedal. Flowey weakly glanced at Frisk, who looked horrified. “Don’t be so afraid… idiot… keep trying-”

“No matter what you do, I’ll still try!” Frisk insists. Sans throws the flower to the side, a groan escaping his teeth. “Give me a chance!”

“how ‘bout another flippin’ reset?” he finally raises his tone at the child, his raised arm tearing down the air. Flowey shoots up, calling out in terror, unable to believe that he might live through another reset.

The bones blurred out of their places, but.

Sans quickly teleported out of the way of his own projectiles, which had been repelled and nearly impacted him. He growled, his glare meeting that of the human everybody was so worried about. The human with the scythe. It was you.

“Are you okay?” was the first thing you said. Frisk used your leg to force himself up, staggering and nearly falling back down. He whimpered, causing you to worry. “I’ll heal you up-”

“No no, give me a sandwich. I’ll feel a lot better with it!” he asked, giving you a quick glance. “I almost made it! I’m almost there! He’s my friend!”

“you little-i ain’t no friend!” Sans yelled, enraged by his claims. “if nothin’, i’m your freakin’ killer!”

Frisk gave him a faint smile. “That’s okay, like I said, I’ll be your friend no matter what. I’ll forgive everything you’ve done.” You were standing your ground, scythe still in hand and ready to repel any other attacks. “I’m okay with that!”

“stop that!” he shrieked, his words finally getting through his thick skull. “shut up and stop! just… SHUT UP.” Frisk ran over to the skeleton, but you quickly grabbed a hold of his arm, unable to see him get hurt. 

“Let me go, I need to hug him!” Frisk insisted, trying to pry himself free. Sans’ skeletal hand was covering his face, unable to face the kindness this child was demonstrating. “Please!”

“I won’t, he’ll kill you-”

You were cut off by Sans' howl. He teleported himself out, stunning both you and Flowey while Frisk looked distraught, his eyes beginning to grow teary. 

“Wow,” you mumbled, staring at where Sans used to be. Flowey repeated your reaction, thinking the same.

Suddenly the bushes rattled and a colorful skeleton emerged from the vegetation, making both Frisk and the flower gawk. 

“what did i miss?”


	35. “How could you have not noticed it dying if you’re always looking at that thing?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No more school for my siblings except for me. Of course, college is still going on, and fortunately I'm taking a class that gives me enough time in the morning to upload these chapters and get ready :D
> 
> Here's your daily dose of stuff! Enjoy!

“W-why did he leave? Did I do something wrong? Did I say something wrong?” Frisk sobbed out, walking over to where his attacker had last been standing. Papyrus was nowhere to be found either. Your scythe disintegrated out of existence, its magic mesmerizing to your own eyes. 

SugarSans stood beside you, taking a good look at the view around. “they’re the kiddos you were talkin’ about?”

“Yeah, they are. Thankfully I wasn’t too late,” you mumbled, kneeling down and watching Frisk frantically look for Sans. Flowey was staring at the skeleton beside you, dumbfounded. Your friend seems to notice this and waves at him, smiling. This stunned the flower, whose eyes dilated.

“And who are YOU?” Flowey demanded, digging under and popping in front of the skeleton. SugarSans pointed at himself and looked around for anybody else the flower could have been referring to. “Yes, you! Are you some universe jumping freak too?”

“heh, nice to meet ya too flowey.”

“Y-you know my name?!?” he gawked. Perplexed, he leaned closer and tried to get a good look. His eyes studied Sans, unable to believe what he was seeing. While the two were bonding you walked over to Frisk, who had begun to sulk silently. You pick him up and give him a soft hug, calming him down.

“You did good,” you reassure him, rubbing his back with your fingers. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner.” He lifted his head and nuzzled his nose against yours, making you smile awkwardly. 

“I won’t give up. I’ll make him my friend even if I have to keep getting hit over and over again. I won’t give up!” he lifted his arms, inspiriting himself. You place him back down and open up your storage, looking for anything he could utilize. Frisk attempted to hop and snatch an item, but he was too short to make it any closer than your chest. Your hands lifted the device higher than he could reach, making it difficult for you to see.

“How about… a sandwich? You said you wanted one, right?” you asked. He nodded. You retrieve the sandwich and hand it to him, his mouth watering at the sight. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

He didn’t respond. Instead he quickly devoured the snack and you watched as his wounds and bruises magically healed. You gaped at him, unable to understand what just occurred before you. He giggled in response.

“Food quickly heals me! I don’t know why, just does!” he chirps, running around you to prove how physically healthy he has returned to be. “I used up all my food in my first fight, that’s why I don’t have any left,” he pouted, halting in front of you. His eyes look at you solemnly, begging for more food as he extended his hands. At first you protest, but he remains standing there. It was easy to crack you.

“Well okay, let me see what I have.” You rummage through your stock and snatch up a handful of snacks and drinks. Water bottles dropped to the ground. Bags of chips and cookies were gently placed beside the bottles, swallowed by the snow. The last item to leave the storage was a soda can, which you weren’t fond of since you rarely drunk such.

“Let me place them away!” he excitedly said, pulling out a phone of his own. You were surprised, yet your shock only grew when you witnessed these items swallowed by the cell he was holding. It was similar to your pocket watch minus the holographic capabilities. It was astounding to learn this child had such technology with him.

“Well then. Guess you can last another good long battle, right?”

“Yup!”

“I’ll try to help-”

“No I can do it! They might think you’re scary with your scythe!”

“That’s the point-”

“No I want them to be friends with me and not be scared!”

“Hey, I know you really want to be their friends, but they’re not really the nicest skeletons out there,” you continue to argue in return. Frisk puffed out his cheeks in protest, his arms firmly crossed in front of him. 

“frisk?”

You turn and discover that sugarSans had Flowey wrapped around his collarbone, intently watching you two argue. Frisk runs up to your friend, leaping and clinging to his colorful shirt. You flinch at this, somehow feeling rather angered by seeing somebody cling to him. He noticed your reaction, making you quickly change expression and approach them.

You’re not sure why you felt that way or acted that way, but you didn’t want to dwell on it.

“Friend!” Frisk pipes out, sliding down the skeleton. “Where did you come from? Are you my friend’s friend? Will you help me?” he spits out question after question, his eyes glimmering with hope. Sans kneels down and places his hand on his shoulder, grinning.

“kid, slow things down a notch, will ya?” You scan the area around, making sure nobody was in the shadows. 

“We should go to a safe place. This doesn’t look safe, to be honest with you,” you say, turning to face the two monsters who were chatting with the child. They all face you. “Do any of you know a place we could go that might be safe?”

“I d-don’t want to go!” Frisk blurts out, defiant. “I want to stay-”

A loud, beeping, dying sound erupts form your pockets. “Shit.” You quickly pull out the watch, popping off the lid to see the gauge on red. At that instant the watch’s dials and glow flickers off, no longer responding to your fingers.

“How could you have not noticed it dying if you’re always looking at that thing?” Flowey commented. You attempted to turn it back on, but nothing seemed to work. 

“How am I going to-” You were cut short by the blast of light that erupted from the watch. It floated above you and released a portal, making you step back immediately. 

Duffle coat Sans emerged from the portal, an expression of frustration plastered over his face. You stood there, unable to budge at the sight. After the events in this world anything seemed possible. Even this. He must have known your watch was dying, perhaps from an alert back at the laboratory, and opened one himself to you. 

SugarSans glared at his other self, worrying Flowey. Frisk froze, mesmerized by the fact he was seeing things he couldn’t understand nor explain.

“don’t keep me waiting,” the duffle coat user mumbled, only to return back to the portal. The opening remained there, cracks around its edges hissing and snarling. You gulped and gave a glance to your friends, who looked astonished. 

“let me go with you-”

“Stay and take care of them for me, okay? I’ll be back. Hopefully I just need to recharge the watch and all. I really don’t want to return,” you explain, nervously eyeing the portal. Frisk remained silent, broken at the thought that you will disappear for a short while. Flowey didn’t comment, the sight of a rougher-looking Sans worrying him.

SugarSans nodded, pulling Frisk close to him. “i’ll be waiting. give me a heads up with a call or text. i don’t have a limit.” You feel a burden lift off your back with those words, able to trust him with such a task. While you were bothered by his lack of experience, the fact that he could teleport throughout the land was enough to keep you at ease.

“Bye! I’ll miss you all! I’ll be back!” you say before jumping through the portal. The bright lights blinded you, making you stop to cover your eyes with your arm. It took you a minute to readjust to the brightness, the sound of the portal closing behind you making your heart drop. It will take a while to be able to locate them again once you return, but it’s not like you had a choice, now did you?

“OH MY, _____! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?! I WAS WORRIED SICK!” Paige’s squeaky voice erupted, her body slamming you to the ground. She was embracing you with all her might, her nose snuggling against your neck. Your eyes were still adjusting, only able to see silhouettes. “You did NOT give us feedback for so long. I was so scared! Alphys was worse! Sans told me it was because you were busy trying to stay alive, but oh oh oh my, that didn’t sound any better!”

“Paige,” you force out, trying to push her away. When she realized she was suffocating you she let go, standing up abruptly. You cough and gather air, gasping. “How long was I gone for? It didn’t feel like a long time to me-”

“More than a day!”

“Wait, really?” you respond. You rummage through your pockets, frightened when the familiar bump of the watch wasn’t there. “It shouldn’t have been dead already… last time I had it, it lasted a lot longer. A lot longer actually.” You try to find the watch in the brightly-lit laboratory around you, but to no avail.

Alphys was standing at the end of the laboratory, weary and with her hands clasped in front of her. She looked troubled. Sans was also by her side, carrying the same emotionless face. However, there was something new about him that you were sure wasn’t there before. He was wearing gloves and his left eye socket had small cracks around its edges. Were those details always there, or was it you being very alert and observant from the constant battles and fright you’ve been exposed to?

Paige shook you. “Oh are you okay? I heard that you really did go to that bad and scary place… are you traumatized? Oh I really hope not, are you? Oh that does sound horrible, oh why am I like this? I shouldn’t be scared but I am. Are you okay?!” she panicked, her words more incoherent than the last. You blink and return to reality, nodding to Paige.

“So much happened, but I’m okay. Let me give you an update on all that. It’s a long story… but I’m sure I can shorten it.” Alphys finally gave in to her perturbed mind, rushing to your side. “Is something wrong? You don’t look so good-”

“W-why didn’t you contact us? Omg I was scared out of my mind!” she scolded, making you pout. “You told us y-you would keep in t-touch and you d-didn’t like…” she trailed off, saying the rest of the sentence through her mind as her hands clutched the garments in front of her beating hear. “Like last time!”

“You’re right, I really should pay more attention. Sorry,” you apologized, withdrawing yourself. Her expression eased up at your words. She fixed her glasses in place and took a good look at you.

“I agree with Alphys, you should be a lot more careful and think about us too!” Paige added in. Her little brother mocked their voices, resting on her shoulder and nibbling on a small crumb of bread. “Even Cinnamon agrees!” Her little brother shook his head.

“Again, I’m sorry guys-”

“leave the laboratory. i need to talk to _____ before i go,” Sans interrupts, quickly approaching your group. Alphys looked defeated, taking a few steps away. Paige glanced at Sans, concern on her face.

“Is everything okay? Is there anything I could do?” she asked, slightly bending down to be at his height. He grimaced and met her gaze, making her regret her decision. “Oh I’m so sorry, I will do just that! If you need anything, please do tell!”

“I’ll be there soon! And I’m sorry!” you holler out as they leave the vicinity, walking down the corridors. The silence returned, the sound of your quick heartbeat audible through your ears. The duffle coat skeleton was standing in front of you, his grimace causing you to grow uncomfortable. It didn’t help knowing you were making your friends back in that genocide-like world wait for you. How are they? It’s only been a few minutes and you’re beginning to mentally panic about their well-being. 

“did you use your magic?” he asked. You nodded, fear seeping through to you. Fear was something common for you, especially when you’ve been living with him these past few months. It’s been numerous of times where the agonizing thoughts of seeing your comrade become a true monster has been feeding off you, making you grow grimmer each passing day. You try to hold your head up high, not letting it bother you. It was his decision after all, no? He’s fully aware of his behavior and how much he’s changed your friendship. Once upon a time you and him used to lay on patches of grass and talk about each other’s past and dreams.

Now that’s a mere fantasy. 

“good.” He slides his hand out of his pocket. Opening it revealed your watch, which was already being recharged. You watched solemnly, the pain from your wounds finally returning after a long absence. “go rest. you’re in no condition to continue your mission.”

“B-but I want to return-”

“i said go rest,” he repeats in a harsh tone, glaring at you. You whimper and make your way out of the laboratory, his cold words not the greeting you were expecting. Has it been too long since you last talked to him? Has he returned to the ice-building between the two of you? 

You reach your room and see both Paige and Alphys. They were anxiously waiting for your return, the atmosphere tense. Alphys had distress written all over her while Paige grinned from cheek to cheek. You smile in return, giving them both a quick hug before you settle down on your bed. Paige leaped on to your bed, prompting Alphys to follow suit.

“I really do apologize,” you mumble out. Paige shakes her head.

“Oh there’s no need to, we understand. We were just so worried for you. It’s not easy to sit here and wait for you to give us a call or text. Anything can happen in a matter of minutes! We know we trained you and gave you what you needed, but you still need more help,” she voiced her opinion. Alphys nodded, her small head poking from behind Paige.

“…is it o-okay if we hear what happened?” she asked, stuttering. You nod, crossing your legs and brushing your hair out of your face. “T-tell me everything. I w-want to know about e-everything,” she added, inching closer and with wonder in her eyes. Paige squealed in anticipation, her arms shaking with delight. You couldn’t help but give out a small giggle, enjoying their childish reactions.

“Well good thing is, there are some good parts to this story,” you began, making them smile. “But there’s also bad parts, so if you have questions, do not hesitate to ask.” Frowns quickly overtook them, making you try to find the words to correct your mistake. “I, um-er-uh, how about we start from the first moment I stepped through that portal?”

“Oh this is so exciting!” Paige squealed. Alphys took out her notebook and writing utensil. 

This was going to be a long talk, and you’re sure of it. But you were simply wanting to make it up to them. Once Sans has your pocket watch charged, and to be honest he could have easily done it in a matter of seconds, he will return it. Although, knowing how mysterious and how edgy he can be, he might not return it all. It might be best if you asked yourself, even if it meant with jelly legs.

 

\--

 

“Oh my gosh, d-did that really happen?” Alphys spat out, furiously writing.

“Soooo romantic, oh I love this!” Paige squeals again, her little brother groaning.

“No, we’re just friends, I swear!” you protest, panicked.

 

\--

 

“Oh m-my god.”

“I agree with Alphys, did you really? Oh I want to see!” Paige hyped, crawling closer to you in order to see the magic you claimed you’ve done.

“I can’t make it appear when I want though,” you sorrowfully expressed, extending your arms. You try to make it materialize, constantly speaking to yourself mentally. Both of your friends were anticipating the scythe, waiting for any spark. And… it happened! Well, a spark happened. The spark of magic that leaped out of your hands made both girls grow ecstatic, only for it to poof out of existence. 

“Oh.”

“Oh that’s a bummer,” Paige pouted, wanting to have seen the scythe you were boasting about. “But that’s okay! We can wait until you can control your magic better!”

 

\--

 

“That’s so scary!” Paige shrieked. “Did something happen to Frisk?!? Did the bad Sans harm him? Oh it sends chills down my spine!”

“Did he do a-anything to harm any of you?” Alphys asked, dispirited by the story. You shook your head, your arms on both their shoulders.

“You guys are the best, and thank you for putting up with me.”

“Of course! We will always forgive you! You would never do anything bad anyway!” she pipes up, giving you a quick hug before hugging Alphys the next minute. “Right bff?”

“Y-yes… bff… I, uh, I like t-that,” Alphys responded, blushing madly. You felt your cheeks warm at their affection, enjoying how Alphys appears to enjoy her company. It made you grow less weary knowing Paige was doing a good job of keeping Alphys up to date. She seems to be doing all the cooking, cleaning, and defending while Alphys recovered the courage and self-confidence she had been losing. 

“So is it okay if I ask what happened here?” you ask them. Paige beams up in delight, her ears shooting up. Alphys fumbled with her notes, trying to gloss over them. Cinnamon was sound asleep on Alphys’ lab coat’s pocket.

“Oh so so so soooo much to tell! Go tell her Alphys! I don’t think I can tell her without squealing here and there,” she stops to squeal. Alphys takes off her glasses, wiping them clean off of any sweat or residue. 

It’s odd to know that these dangerous situations, as well as this new adventure you’ve embarked on, is beginning to present situations in which it feels no different from home. SugarSans’ embrace and spending time with both Paige and Alphys felt similar. It reminded you of your own friends, except here was the catch; these friends might be friendships that might not last all eternity. You’re also dying to know what everybody in the surface feels about you. Are your own friends frantic about you? Have they long forgotten about you? Has your disappearance been blamed on an innocent suspect? 

These questions start to take over your mind as both Alphys and Paige explain their first day together. You try to balance your thoughts, half your mind listening to their antics whilst the other focuses on the dilemmas you’ve left behind on the surface.

At first you were wanting to return, and still do, but your heart is slowly betraying you. Thinking about the surface is no longer a happy memory, but a terrifying one. You don’t want to leave these new friends behind, especially not these skeletons you’re meeting throughout your adventures. But it wasn’t right of you to rip them off their own worlds and into your own. It was selfish. They had their own.

It wasn’t right.


	36. “I don’t want to see you change too!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys, truly, for the motivation you're all giving me ;~; Frankly, I only expected a few dozen or so eyes to be prying on to this story for the sole reason that it was... kinda different from the other stories I've come across. 
> 
> Then again I haven't done much snooping and reading to know if there IS one that's similar? I'll be interested if so :3

Duffle coat Sans had returned to you the watch not too long ago. You didn’t hesitate to call sugarSans, who calmed down your nerves during the call. He insisted that you should spend time with your friends before you return, for you might not see them for a few days again. While at it you also gave outerSans and swapPapyrus a quick call as well. Texting was useful, but you weren’t patient enough.

SugarSans was sticking by Frisk’s side, unable to have him leave his sight. Flowey was being rather helpful, not letting Sans do nearly any of combat, but you also it was due to him being too tender and too sweet to fight back. Halfway through the conversation Flowey had snatched the phone to say “He won’t even hit a damn fly.”

“You don’t have to do this for me, I can return so you can return home. I know they must be wondering about you,” you voice your worries, both Paige and Alphys inches away from the phone. 

“nah. kiddo is doing fine over here. yeah it gives me the creeps, but nothin’ i can’t handle if it means i get to see ya’ again.”

The girls let out their squeals, making you blush and hush them down. 

“heheheh, are those your friends? what’s so funny over there?” he questioned the loud squeals, making you grow beet red. “they sounded pretty close.”

“They’re just watching some anime!” you quickly responded, signaling them to tone down their noise levels. They were ready to hear more gossip and words, their imaginations wild. “They really, but really, love anime you know. They can’t get enough of it.”

OuterSans wasn’t as good. In fact, he may have been in a horrible situation. The Frisk in his world was murdering everybody in sight. They’ve disappeared and nowhere to be seen. Your worries were that he may experience another reset, in which you insist you can drag him here with you to prevent his memories being erased, but he could care less. He’s clearly used to these resets. The conversation was rather short.

“yeah, uh, things aren’t any better. it’s looking kind of bleak down here.” You could hear Grillby’s voice in the background, making you grow curious. You assume he’s at Grillby’s, although you’re not quite sure for what yet. No, he couldn’t be, didn’t everybody evacuate not too long ago? He could be somewhere else entirely.

“Are you at Grillby’s? Where are you at? How is he?” your voice drops thinking about the bartender. It wasn’t that long ago you got rather close to him emotionally, and just like that, he was gone.

“hey, buttercup, he’s doing fine,” he answers, his voice rather raspy and lighthearted. You try to pay attention with the two girls beside you, who were just as alert and as concentrated. “talking to him makes me feel better… eases me a bit. keeps me in check.”

“Why do you sound different?”

“huh. do i? here uh.” He clears his throat, the sound of glass in the distance catching your attention. Hopefully that wasn’t his. “how ‘bout this?”

“Are you okay over there?” you ask, worried. He chuckles on the other side of the call, but his coughing definitely gives it away to you. “Are you sick? Are you drinking something?”

“hey. mind i cut this short?” he asks, dodging your question. You hesitate, not wanting to leave him in the state he’s in. But there wasn’t much you could do. You were universes away, and even if you could return, you don’t want to get sidetracked.

“Do you want me to help you with something? You know that I can easily just… you know, jump over there from here.”

“don’t sweat it. got it under control.”

“Well alright, if you insist,” you mumbled. You didn’t hang up, hearing his breaths from the other side of the line. Unfortunately, he didn’t do the same. He hung up the next minute. 

SwapPapyrus was kind enough to explain to you the situation that’s occurring in their lands. Apparently there’s been disappearances of monsters in the underground, and it was definitely freaking Asgore out. He didn’t mind it, stating that he’s seen worse. His older brother, on the other hand, happens to be naïve about the subject. Papyrus has told swapSans that they’re on a vacation and might not return until everything is better. It made you feel crestfallen.

“Ah, my brother?” Papyrus repeated your question. You had just asked what were his thoughts on him. It was a random question you thought of while on the call, so you didn’t mind asking it. “He’s… really cool.”

“That’s sweet,” you replied, only for the two eavesdropping girls to squeal in the background. “Uh-Er, don’t pay attention to that! I’m with some friends and they’re watching some anime.” 

“Nah, don't-” he suddenly stops, only to blurt out vulgarities through the call. It made you and the girls gasp. “Oh, shit, uh, heh. Sorry, lost a game here-”

“PAPYRUS!" swapSans' voice boomed through the call. "WASH YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!!! WITH SOAP!!! RIGHT NOW!!!”

“Ah, yeah mum, sorry.”

“DON’T SORRY ME. GO. NOW. WASH IT WITH SCENTED SOAP SO THAT IT SMELLS PRISTINE MINTY ALSO. I LIKE PRISTINE MINTY SMELLS!”

“Heh, whatever you say.”

You let out a laugh, unable to contain it. SwapSans appears to hear it, the phone quickly being snatched. He was just as loud on the phone, prompting you to distance your ear from the pocket watch.

“_____! IS THAT YOU??? GOOD EVENING FRIEND! YOU MISSED OUT ON SOME GREAT TACOS JUST NOW… MADE THEM WITH LOVE AND CARE AND WITH ASGORE!”

“He burned the first batch-” Papyrus snuck past Sans and spoke into the phone, only to hear a thud. 

“DO NOT SPEAK OUT OF TURN PAPYRUS!! AND WASH YOUR MOUTH! It smells like tacos.” You couldn’t help but bark out more laughter, making you drop the watch. Paige quickly saved it from the fall, not wanting to miss any drama or news that might pop out of it. Alphys was jotting down notes on her notebook with insane speed, making you wonder what was so important in your conversations for her to do this.

“Reminds me of you bro.”

“WASH THEM!!”

“Chill chill, I’m going.”

“GOOD. NOW THEN.” You return straighten yourself, sitting up in bed, and grab the watch that Paige was firmly holding. “_____, ARE YOU STILL THERE???”

“Yes! Definitely! Sorry, just thought you guys are a riot. Always making me laugh,” you admit. “But um, continue please!”

“IT IS A PLEASURE!!! I AM FULLY AWARE THAT MY PRESENCE ALONE CAN BRIGHTEN THE LONELIEST OF SOULS, NO NEED TO REMIND ME. BUT THANK YOU... now where was I? OH YES!!! TACOS!”

This was the longest conversation you’ve had on the phone today, or technically watch, but you didn’t care. Learning more about all these skeletons made you feel overwhelmed, and it was definitely a feeling you enjoyed. 

“Oh _____, I’m so jealous! You’re friends with so many different versions of Sans! I wish I was as lucky as you!” Paige blurted out, leaping out of bed. “But oh dear, I do worry for the only Sans I do know. He does sound rather grim right now,” she confesses, giving you a concerned look. You had already forgotten that she's acquainted with outerSans.

“They all s-sound down,” Alphys admits. “Don’t use us as an e-excuse to prevent you fr-from checking up on t-them… I don’t want you t-to be slo-slowed down by us,” Alphys admits, now on the edge of the bed. 

“If I stay here it’s because I want to spend a little time with you two first. Okay so maybe I couldn’t convince outerSans to, you know, come over here and all. I even told him he could bring Papyrus along. Can’t blame him though. I guess that sounds like running away, doesn’t it?”

“It’s what I do best!” Paige tries to cheer you up, although it only makes your bite your lip to prevent laughter from erupting.

“Is it? That’s very reassuring to know,” you barely reply, making her grow embarrassed by her comment. Fortunately your funny bone calms down, allowing you to face Alphys. “But are you sure?”

“Yes, d-definitely,” Alphys replied, her hands holding your own. “You c-can’t leave them n-now. T-they need you a lot… I k-know how it feels.” You smile and nod, confidence instilled in you. You kiss her forehead and make a dash for the laboratory. 

The pocket watch clanks inside your pocket, reminding you of the power you have, power that makes you capable of simply running to their aides. This is especially true when they still have their memories intact without the damn resets bringing them down.

You’re hoping it’s not too late. 

The portal is opened and you throw open the watch’s lid, satisfied to see the gauge indicate that it was full. Sans didn’t give you an explanation as to why it was drained so quickly last time, but despite your insistence, he never uttered any more of it.

The heart on the pocket watch was now red. It will take you to outerSans, who won’t be expecting your visit. However, you’re not sure how to tackle this. You could also go to sugarSans, who is expecting you to visit them as soon as possible.

You really should go to sugarSans, but you're just as worried about outerSans now. SugarSans is doing swell at this moment, unlike outerSans. Or so you think.

Oh decisions decisions. 

With your mind made up you open the portal and close the lid to your watch. 

“why are you leaving so soon? and not to the hell i originally told you to go to?” his voice broke through your thoughts, making you freeze. It wasn’t new, but you still weren’t used to his random appearances.

You rotate and face the duffle coat individual behind you, who didn’t look pleased. “I wanted to go visit an old friend, if that’s okay.”

“one day you’re asking me, for a permission apparently, and the next you can care less what others tell you to do. why can’t you stay consistent?” Your eyes fall to the floor, not wanting to respond. There wasn’t an actual answer for that, or at least you didn’t know what to say to that. 

He grunts, not finding your silence an acceptable answer. But he didn't walk away nor order you this time, no, surprising you by the silence between the two of you. 

Suddenly his body quickly approaches yours, making you grow nervous, as always. But.

His hand slips behind your head and pushes you slightly forward, your lips meeting his. 

You push away instantly, a deep red blush forming on your cheeks. You open your mouth to protest, but his hurt expression makes you cower. You jump through the portal without a moment’s notice. 

The portal closes behind you as you enter the galactic world. The mist of a nearby waterfall reaches you, the humidity beginning to frizz your hair. 

You’re not sure what just happened.

The duffle coat Sans had just kissed you and you ran away. Of course you did. It wasn’t something you expected. Just minutes before you were frozen in fear from that same individual, ready to obey any orders he would say through his teeth. He wasn’t the same old friend from before, but more of a mysterious and sinister acquaintance. Not somebody who you would expect would kiss you out of the blue. 

A more important question is, why didn't you feel teeth? Clearly he has teeth, and you felt nothing of the sort.

Your mind feels hazy and filled with confusion, your heart palpating strongly, your hands gingerly touching your lips that had just touched his own. You had forgotten what you had come here for and let out a groan as a result, frustrated that the duffle coat skeleton was the only thing in your mind.

This wasn’t what you had in mind when you wanted him to break the ice. This was far from what you expected. It woke up hidden feelings that you’ve buried deep in the abyss of your mind, emotions that you wish he hadn’t touched upon. You’re fully aware that, if given the chance, in a heartbeat you wouldn’t hesitate to trust him once more. To give him everything as you have before.

But you didn’t want it to repeat. 

The fluttering of your heart lingers as you try to make your way through Waterfall, the pocket watch in hand. OuterSans wasn’t responding to your messages and it can be seen as a good thing, knowing that all these different versions of Sans’ can easily spark a flame you’re trying to extinguish. They all look alike, albeit with completely different personalities, yet that doesn’t mean that they can easily remind you of the relationship you’ve had with your old duffle coat friend. They look alike for fucks sake, you can easily change their clothes and could easily bring out the dying love you’ve broken. 

A love you’re not willing to try. 

You reached a point in Waterfall where the dark water around you is calm and instilled with a sense of beauty and wonder. The gems embedded in the walls emitted their own glow, which caused their reflections to be beautifully seen on the rippling waters below. Walking over a small bridge with tufts of tall grass here and there only made it more of a sight to behold. 

It was gorgeous. The troubles and trivial things were swept away by the illuminated flowers around, voices of older souls echoing the moment you walked past them. 

But it didn’t last long. The feeling of being free of troubles quickly dissipates as the pocket watch suddenly vibrates, startling you. You give yourself a second before you take out the watch, relieved to find that it was outerSans. 

-hold on- he texted, making you pause. Hold on?

“hey.” You let out a small yelp, nearly dropping the watch if it wasn’t for a silly display of juggling that saved your watch. Sans had opened a door to you, his face showing torment and stress. He tried to mask those emotions with a smile, but you had turned early enough to see him fret.

“Sorry if I made you teleport here. Didn’t mean to interrupt whatever you were doing,” you mumbled, his pinhead pupils dancing in his eye socket as he took a good look at you. “I know you told me not to come here, but I was worried. I assumed stuff and… well, I’m here now.” 

“thanks. i owe you one. but don’t worry ‘bout this silly ol’ skeleton,” he pointed at himself, looking more at ease after you expressed your concerns. “can’t be down under the dumps when i got paps to look over. he’s been wantin’ to stay behind at snowdin, so i’m keeping an eye socket out for anything suspicious goin’ on out there. but nothing.” He shrugs, his eyes no longer focused on you but on the lily pads floating on the water’s surface. “he’s what drives me on, ya know.”

“You don’t have to be the only one,” you blurt out. He looks at you half-heartedly. “You can go nap or sleep or whatever you want while I take care of Papyrus? It’s just a guess. But I want to help you feel better. I don’t want any of my friends to be ‘down in the dumps’ as you say,” you try to justify your visit, biting your lip near the end from worry. He seems to play with the idea, his expression slowly brightening. 

But as quickly as his smile arrived, it died. “don’t want to drag ya’ into my problems, sport. last thing i want is to see you in harm’s way-”

“I can defend myself!” you retort as you instantaneously attempt to summon your scythe. As always, it had failed. It appears you weren’t in any significant danger and it refused to listen. You tried again. And again. And again. Sans was amused, beginning to take steps towards you. “Okay, so maybe I need more practice. I could never get the damn scythe to appear when I want it to, but I swear it pops out when I do need it, so I guess you won’t really see it?” You keep trying, yet he cuts your attempts short the moment he grasps your hand.

“it’s cool, i don’t need saving right now.”

“Are you sure?” you ask abruptly, acting on your spilled emotions. “I don’t want to see you change too!” His face changed to that of surprise. 

You retreat your hands, flustered. Acting on your emotions wasn’t new for you, but you didn’t want to project the dug up feelings on to this innocent skeleton that has no history with you. You’ve only met him, what, less than a month ago? He doesn’t compare to the original suitor of your emotions, which has known you for almost a year.

“But you’re right, I actually need to return somewhere,” you take back on your words, realizing that you need to return to Frisk and Flowey. Every minute was precious. 

“so, uh, does that mean you’ll leave? paps has been dying to see you,” he wonders, hinting at his want for you to stay. You pick up on it, smiling at his choice of words. “seeing a different human will ease him a bit.” Before you know it he opens a door to his familiar living room, the scent of spaghetti released into the scenery around. 

“I hope he still remembers me. I know it’s definitely been a while.”

“if you think a few days is an eternity, sure thing pal,” he chuckled, walking you through it. Surely it’s been longer, hasn’t it? It didn’t feel like days, but weeks. Jumping through universes is definitely ruining your sense of time. 

That means you’ve only known outerSans for a very short while. That’s quite insane. Not too long ago you believed you’ve known him for a lot longer, at least a few weeks, and here you are finding out it’s only been a few days… Or was it a few weeks and he’s just pulling on your leg?

The house was very welcoming and homey with its galactic theme and wooden walls. The kitchen sink was familiar to you, making you smile at how ridiculous it was. The couch had a dark blanket sprawled on to it. A lone sock was abandoned by the television, notes piled on top of one another on top of it.

“SANS?!? HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I SPECIFICALLY ASKED OF YOU NOT TO GO-OH. HUMAN?!? _____?!? DID YOU MISS ME ENOUGH TO VISIT ME?!?” Papyrus booms out in rhapsody. You take a few steps forward and stop when his figure rushes out of his room, his dark blue scarf floating back down to his side.

“Yes! It’s been a while!” you happily responded to his quirkiness, his positive energy easily able to make you grow enthused. It’s one of the reasons you adored Papyrus. “Couldn’t help but think of you the moment I took a whiff of the spaghetti.”

“WOWIE, SOMEBODY WANTS TO TASTE MY FINE COOKING SKILLS! IT’S BEEN TOO LONG _____! MY OTHER FRIENDS LEFT ME TO GUARD SNOWDIN!!! I COULD NOT REFUSE THE CHALLENGE AND… AND… AND THAT’S WHY IT’S JUST ME AND MY BROTHER SANS. BUT NOT ANYMORE!!!” he explained with disappointment, ending at a happy note. He dashed down the stairs and quickly shook your hands, happiness dripping down his face. “BUT JEEZ, MY MANNERS. THE GREAT PAPYRUS APOLOGIZES!!! WELCOME, WELCOME!”

“I’m only here for a visit, but if it helps, I can visit a lot more often? How about I take a peek in here at least once every two days? Every day? Sounds like you want more company,” you offer. He kneels down to be at your eye level, both of his hands over one of your own. His pupils were trembling with glee.

“I AM EXCITED TO KNOW SANS HAS NOT BEEN A BAD INFLUENCE ON YOU!” he begins, glaring at Sans from the corner of his eyes. Sans shrugs, smirking in the distance. “I ACCEPT YOUR OFFER! WE CAN SPEND THAT TIME ON BONDING AND WATCHING OLD METTATON RECORDINGS! MUST I ADD THAT I KNOW EVERY SINGLE LINE?” he proudly states, grinning with shiny teeth. He stands back up, clearing his throat. “MY ACTION FIGURES NEED A GOOD DUSTING BEFORE I CAN PRESENT THEM TO YOU, _____-SANS. IS THAT YOUR SOCK?” he stops in his tracks at the sight of an old sock. Sans shrugs once more, enjoying his brother’s change in moods. 

“First let me check up on somebody very quick while you talk to your brother. Is that alright?”

“OF COURSE, _____, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO,” he responded. You pull out your watch and dial on your way out the house, snickering at the silly conversation the brothers were having. Once outside you call sugarSans. ‘Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up,’ you think to yourself, hearing the sound of buzzing and interference. It took a minute for your friend to pick up, your mouth releasing a sigh of relief.

“Oh you’re okay, I’m glad,” you say instantly. “…are you? I mean, I should have asked first. Sorry. Um, hey! Just wanted to check up to see how everything was going.”

“heh, yeah, we’re doin’ good over here. nothin’ to work yourself about. kiddo is holdin’ on pretty toughly, befriendin’ anybody he could set his eyes on. the kid is inspirational. also got to learning a few tricks with my magic thanks to the talking flower-”

“IT’S FLOWEY.”

“-he’s a blast.”

“But you guys are okay, right? You didn’t get hurt, did you? Do you want me to be there?” you repeat, not satisfied with his answer.

“nah. we’ve been better, but as i said, nothing i can’t handle. flower does a good job of protectin’ the kid. heh, makes me feel pretty weak,” he admits solemnly. You quickly protest.

“Oh no, you’re nowhere near weak! You can teleport! That’s pretty special in my book. You just haven’t been thrown into action before… which is why I want to make sure you guys are okay. Don’t want you to get hurt when it’s supposed to be me in your slippers-er, shoes,” you interjected yourself. On a side note, outerSans’ slippers were the most beautiful things you’ve seen. 

“thanks for the uplift, pal. but, don’t feel like i’m rushin’ ya’ over here. cuz it’s not what i want to get across. come back when you’re ready. no rush.” You know you’re being selfish by taking advantage of how sweet he is, as well as how you’re extending your visit here by a milestone, but Papyrus’ words made you feel guilty for the lack of visits you’ve done, given the condition they’re in.

“I’ll call you soon!” you pipe up. The conversation inside the skeletons’ house had subsided, indicating that they could be waiting for you. “Keep staying alive, okay?”

“sure thing.”

You hang up and store the watch in your pocket. Opening the door revealed a Papyrus who was cheerfully whistling, cooking up some... spaghetti, you assume. Sans was nowhere to be found, possibly sitting in his room in a mood nowhere near as happy as Papyrus is.

“I SEE YOU ARE BACK!” Papyrus cheerfully pipes up, his head swiveling to confirm his hypothesis. “ARE YOU DONE DISCUSSING YOUR EVENING PLANS WITH US TO YOUR FRIEND? BECAUSE I, WITH GREAT CARE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL, HAVE BEGUN MAKING SPAGHETTI!”

“Yeah, I’m back, and yes to that too! Friend doesn’t mind me hanging out with you guys for a while longer.” That wasn’t necessarily true. He didn’t mind, yes, but you’re sure that this wasn’t the best course of action. You should be rushing back to their aide to help Frisk and Flowey, but instead you’re following your heart’s desires and sticking to these two skeletons with a rocking otherworldly theme.

“Also,” you begin, unsure of how Papyrus will answer. “Is Sans up in his room?” His head swiveled to see you, again, and cackled out a rather cheerful response.

“YES! YES HE IS. HE LIKES TO GO THERE A LOT NOW A DAYS AND BUSILY MONOLOGUE TO HIMSELF… LIKE ME! I LIKE TO BUSILY MONOLOGUE TO MYSELF AS WELL! GEE, AREN’T I A GOOD INFLUENCE TO MY BIG BROTHER SANS?” he gushes, thinking highly of himself.

“I’ll go check it out and get him to eat some spaghetti with us,” you giggle out, making him cackle back “PLEASE DO, HE HASN’T BEEN THE MOST COOPERATIVE BROTHER.” You slowly make your way up the stairs, your sense overloaded with the beauty of the house. From the soft wooden railings, dark starry carpet, maple syrup scents mixed with whatever concoction Papyrus is making, and cheerful atmosphere, all of these things made this place very welcoming to you. You always catch yourself admiring the scenery of this universe.

You didn’t admire for long. Sans’ room was just up ahead, his door inches away from you. A dry lump formed in your throat, your hands refusing to grab the handle.


	37. “PRECISELY WHY I WILL WAIT AND POSTPONE THE DATING ADVICE LESSONS!”

Now where are your manners? Were you just thinking of opening the door without his consent?

You knock, scolding yourself mentally. At first there was no response, prompting you to look around awkwardly. Papyrus was still downstairs making food for the three of you so you’re certain he wouldn’t interrupt you anytime soon.

Finally, noises could be heard on the other side. You could hear the shuffling of feet and items being tossed about. You take a few steps back, expecting for him to open the door and reveal himself there, with his blue and yellow jacket. However, that was not the case. Instead he unlocked the door and seemed to shuffle back to where ever he was originally. 

Curiosity got the best of you as you crack open the door wider, feeling as if you were intruding despite the permission to enter. “Is it okay if, um, I enter?”

“go at it. i don’t bite,” he answered, somewhat muffled. You open the door wide and goggled the moment you entered the room. It was messy. There was a self-sustaining tornado of trash, and unused treadmill with a note stuck to it in front of you, a dirty sock-pile to your immediate left, a worn mattress with sheets bundled up in a weird creasy ball beside it, an uncovered pillow, a small letter next to said pillow, a lamp with a flashlight, and a trombone sticking out from one of the drawer right underneath the flashlight-lamp hybrid.

“home sweet home,” he mumbles out, enjoying your expression of wonder. “where paps doesn’t put notes on my socks.” You totter towards the tornado, gawking at the trash that was being swished around.

“This is very, but very, cool. How did you make this?” you turn to him, pointing at the tornado. “I wish I could do that… put some sweets in there so that I can randomly snatch up something to eat. That way I wouldn’t waste so much time trying to decide what to get when I can leave the decision-making to the tornado,” you explain, fantasizing your future room. 

“magic,” he says with hands that pretend to create a rainbow in front of him. You let out a small chuckle and check out the treadmill in the middle of the room. It sure reminded you of the treadmill your mother would use in order to keep her weight in check. She would never use the thing, instead telling your father that there was a time and place for everything.

“Ever use this thing?”

“gotta burn some fat off these weary bones,” he replies, making you glance at him dumbfounded. “eeeyyyy,” he says, adding to the comedy. You couldn’t help but smirk at that, happy to see that he still does his good puns despite the gloomy atmosphere he’s been talking about.

“So how has everything been going?” you mutter out, your hands on the side of the treadmill. He hesitates, his pupils focused on your figure. “Oh is there something on me?” you fluster, your hands slowly covering your chest in response to the location of his gaze. He blinks and straightens himself. A small tint of blue covers his cheeks when he connects two and two together.

“oh, um, no, just… spacin’ out,” he mumbles, looking away in shame. You decide to sit beside him and take another shot at figuring out what’s in that self-sustaining tornado of his. 

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk. I know how that feels,” you begin, peeling your eyes away from the remarkable tornado. The blush fades and he shifts his body to face your own, his attention on you.

“it’s just, uh. been disturbed. really haven’t been feeling it lately. knowin’ it’s all gonna be reset… without warning. without memories,” he begins explaining. You lift your legs and hug your knees to your chest, ready for him to divulge his feelings. “which i’m cool with. got used to it. didn’t really have a choice in it either, so. uh.” He stops and suddenly smiles, lightly chuckling. You duck your head somewhat, wanting to get a better view of his face, which was solemnly gazing at the floor below. “paps. undyne. alphys. tori. grillby. i get to see them repeat the same actions. déjà vu. the frustration of knowin’ everything i do is worthless and useless. it’s not something they pick up on, but i know.” He stands up, stretching in front of you. For some odd reason you find this attractive, making you, albeit lazily, cover your face with your hand, spread out with your eyes peeking between your fingers. It does a good job of hiding your blush.

“Sorry,” you say, muffled by your hand. “I… I don’t know what to say. Can’t say much. I wouldn’t know how it feels.” You drop your hand, the blush having disappeared. “And I’m sorry that I sound so selfish telling you to take your brother and live back at my place. This is your world after all. Hearing all this… yeah, I’m selfish. Sorry if I come off as somebody who doesn’t really take your own thoughts and feelings into consideration,” you apologize, putting yourself down.

“no, don’t,” he protests, sharply turning to you, concern on his face. “i've been playing with that idea. but i can’t run away from here either. don’t wanna abandon everybody, ya know. and the kiddo...” His voice begins to drop, grim in appearance. “if the kiddo resets he needs guidance. tori won’t have a skele-bud to help her out with that.” His hands hide in his shorts’ pockets, his slippers distracting for you. “but uh, there’s more.”

“More?” you repeat. He sighs and walks up to the only window in his room, his gaze distant. You plop one leg on to his mattress, your hands both hidden in the crease behind your knee. 

“i’ve given up plenty of times, but i can’t remain oblivious when there’s a rampagin’ kid outside.” The sound of Papyrus’ voice catches your attention, as well as his, making him pause for a moment. “anyway, i’m sure i’ve gone through this before… but, lost memory of it. but this is new. meeting you is new. i don’t get that sense of déjà vu or longing.” 

“Is it?” you say, unable to add anything more. Resets wasn’t a topic you could be confident about, especially when it’s something you’ve never experienced firsthand. He clearly knows what he’s talking about and has suffered as a result. Which begs the question. “Does that mean you could…” you feel a lump feel in your throat, making your next words drip with fear. “…forget about me too?”

He glowered, sullen from the thought. “yep. that’s the right idea.” Papyrus’ voice returned, audible. He was calling the both of you down, the food ready. “heh, paps. isn’t he the best? gives me a reason to keep holdin’ on,” he admits, refusing to meet your gaze as he drags his feet out of his room. You had questions stuck in your mind, but unable to say them in fear of hearing a response you don’t want to hear. Responses that you’re fully aware will occur.

“Do you want a hug?” you blurt out. He wavered, startled. 

You stand up and approach him with open arms, giving him a genuine smile. “I may not be of help. Heck, I came here falsely hoping that I could help with whatever was bothering you. But hearing all this… yeah, what can I do? Nothing really. But I can give a hug and show you that I’ll be here for you.” He stalled, contemplating the offer. 

“heh, why not?” he finally replied, prompting you to give him a tight hug. He paused for a few seconds, his breaths tickling the side of your neck. Then you felt his tense body loosen, his arms wrapping firmly around your sensitive body, his skull snuggling between the grove of your shoulder. “thank you,” he whispered, a small whimper escaping from his lips. 

That small whimper melted your heart. You couldn’t understand how you could have ever befriended somebody like him. He was… different. But he reminded you too much of somebody you used to be fond of. The more you dwelled in this universe with outerSans, the harder it was not to mix your emotions between two individuals who looked identical, save for small differences in detail. 

You didn’t want to let go. Neither did he, it seems, since it felt as if you were both in an embrace for what seems to be a good few minutes. 

“SANS. ARE YOU STALLING?!” Papyrus’ voice interrupted, snapping both of you back to reality. You both scramble out of the embrace. You were awarded with the gift of seeing him flustered, making your own heart flutter at the sight. “YOU CAN STAY AND MONOLOGUE IN YOUR ROOM FILLED WITH DIRTY SOCKS AND THAT LOATHSOME CANINE, BUT NOT WITH _____! SHE IS A GUEST OF HONOR.”

“I’m coming Papyrus! Don’t worry,” you hearten yourself, trying to rid of your complex feelings. You open the door and don’t let go of it, waiting for Sans to get through. Papyrus was standing beside you, hands on hips, bent over somewhat, glaring at his brother.

“you could say that i’m ready to… put some meat on my bones,” he smirked, making Papyrus straighten up out of anger and shock. 

“SANS. WHY NOW OUT OF ALL TIMES?!?” he shrieked, stupefied and making his way down the stairs. You follow with Sans right behind you. 

The visit here was worth it, you think. You got to see the galactic duo in person after a few days’ hiatus. But it won’t be long until you’re teleporting to the next universe. The universe you want to avoid, yet have allies waiting for your return.

“Is it okay if I package up some spaghetti? Sorry but, um, I can’t stay to eat with you guys,” you asked Papyrus while walking down the stairs. He gave you a dull smile, not expecting you to leave so soon.

“WELL I SUPPOSE… IF THAT’S WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY, _____. I GUESS I SHOULD BE PROCLAIMING HOW MUCH WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH. ESPECIALLY MY BROTHER. HE WOULDN’T STOP GOING ON ABOUT A ‘CUTE’ HUMAN-”

“papyrus,” Sans coughs to interject, but he seems to be too indulged in his words.

“-THAT I NEVER MET. YES!!! I WAS SUSPICIOUS. TO SEE MY BROTHER BEHOLD THE JOY OF FINDING ANOTHER SOCK-COLLECTING LOVER… WAIT! YOU LIKE COLLECTING SOCKS???” he blurts out the last tidbit. You give a quick glance to Sans, who still carried the same flustered face from before. It made you smile in return before turning to face the adorable tall skeleton before you.

“Yeah, but it’s a clean pile of socks,” you respond, making Papyrus gawk. 

“I TAKE IT BACK. YOU MUST BE A WEIRDO! (DO YOU LIKE PUZZLES???) BUT… THE PERFECT WEIRDO FOR MY LAZY BROTHER SANS. AND IF YOU, A HUMAN, ARE WHAT HE DESIRES MOST TO SHARE HIS KETCHUP WITH, THEN I MUST ENCOURAGE IT!!! LET ME GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE NECESSARY STEPS FOR… A DATE!” he explains with a hand raised and his chest high. Sans quickly speeds past you and towards Papyrus.

“heh, bro, it’s cool,” he blurts out. “the date advice can wait… whatever they are. _____ has gotta return home. can’t make her look bad in front of her pals.”

“PRECISELY WHY I WILL WAIT AND POSTPONE THE DATING ADVICE LESSONS!” he agrees rather quickly. “_____! UNTIL NEXT TIME! I WILL HALT MY RENOWED ADVICE AND AWAIT YOUR RETURN!”

“Thank you so much Papyrus… and Sans. I’ll give you a call soon,” you thank, doing a quick bow to show your gratitude. It has been a while since you’ve bowed down, much less to these skeletons. Papyrus gives you a quick and sudden hug, startling you. Sans watches from feet away, his flustered face replaced with gratitude as he packages your food. “Again, thank you. You guys made up my day.”

“GEE, I DON’T DESERVE SUCH HOSPITALITY AND GRATITUDE. IT’S WHAT I DO BEST!”

“yeah. gotta side with paps on this one,” he adds in, handing you a bag containing the meal. You open the door, give them one last look, wave, and leave the premises. The snow underneath is soft to your feet, the cold air making you shiver in contrast to their warm house. 

After you store the food in your watch you rub your hands against your arms. It was cold. Very. More snow was falling from before. But… this was space. Sometimes you don’t understand the logic in the underground and galactic universes.

You quickly flick the dial beside the watch to switch from a red to a green heart and promptly rip open a door to the other universe. Through the door you can see the contrast between these two universes. You were standing in a land floating in space, where floating was a thing. Where the stars were always visible and there was no such thing as an Earth to go back to. The humans have excelled in technology and allowed for space travel. The theme of these monsters was rather, to be honest, breathtaking. 

But on the other side of the portal was a world unlike this one. The dread of death and despair always hung on the air. Nature was seemingly dead and devoid of life. Monsters were out to kill anybody in sight, humans especially. Their own theme seems to be dark colors, which added to the gloomy atmosphere. Red hues paired with blackness... It was nothing like here.

Despite the horrors that await, they were still waiting for you. SugarSans, Frisk, and Flowey. Who knows for how long too. It made you feel guilty knowing you’ve been using up time.

Wait, you couldn’t see what was past this portal the last few times. Why could you suddenly see what was present on the other side? 

Oh well, doesn’t matter. Small detail you can avoid.

You walk through the portal and watch it close behind you. 

As you suspected, you were terrified. You cowered in fear, your eyes darting in every imaginable direction for anything lurking in the shadows. After scanning the premises, you forced yourself to gulp, trying to muster the courage to find your friends. The dead trees prevented you from seeing anything in the distance, their clawed and bitten bark only adding to your fear.

“Um.” You couldn’t say more, not wanting to attract attention. There was nowhere safe to go, much less hide. You could run into the trees and hope it hides you from hungry eyes, but it will hinder your speed. 

You lumber into the woods, your pocket watch in hand. You call sugarSans, covering the watch as to not let his voice boom out into the environment. Once he picked up you peek around your vicinity, alert for any sneaky movements. 

“_____? is everything okay?” he speaks.

“Yes!” you whisper into the watch, your hand covering the gem where the hologram projects out of. “Returned to you guys. Just don’t know where you are all at… mind giving me hints as to where to go?”

“…you keep teleportin’ and appearing in different spots when you enter different universes, you noticed?” he points out, making your eyes widen at the idea. He wasn’t wrong. It’s supposed to have you drop off in the same exact point every time. Despite having set coordinates with Alphys, it isn’t listening to your wishes. Is it simply a coordinate that works once and then disappears, going at random the next few times you travel?

“You’re right. Didn’t notice at all, glad you pointed it out. I’ll ask Alphys about it.”

“hold on,” he mumbled, reminding you of outerSans’ text. The last time you’ve heard those words, or read them to be precise, their owner teleported near you the next second. “okay, i’m here,” he said, his voice much clearer. You turn and see him standing close to you, smiling. 

“It’s kind of interesting to see how similar all of you are. Versions I mean.” He grins and rips open a door in front of you, both Flowey and Frisk on the other side, whom immediately leap up to their feet… or roots, for the former. “Hey!”

“they’ve been anxious,” he notes, extending a hand out for you. You happily accept. The door closes behind the two of you and Frisk doesn’t waste a second before hugging you. “especially this kiddo,” he smirks, ruffling the child’s hair.

“I’ve missed you so much!” Frisk gleefully states, his face buried on the fabric of your leggings. “Can we go making friends now??”

“He wouldn’t shut his trap about you,” Flowey grumbles, the lack of petals making him look bare and heavily malnourished. “But that didn’t stop the idiot from running off and trying to pick out enemies to hug the heck out of.”

“Oh did you guys get hurt?!” you ask, unsettled by the possibilities and events that could have and still could occur. Frisk lets go and plops down on the ground, rummaging through his phone.

“not a scratch,” Sans responds softly, but the flower interjects.

“Yes, of course, not a scratch. Your sugary friend over here can’t fight anything. I had to do it all while he jumped around,” he complained, agitated. “If it wasn’t for being able to escape with his space/time shenanigans then I wouldn’t like him so much,” he adds in.

“He saved me a lot,” Frisk blurts out, holding one of sugarSans’ fingers. They both give each other a small grin, making you feel as if you wanted to hug both due to how adorable they looked at this very second. If only you could capture this moment.

“Tootsie roll needs to go home too, by the way, if he didn’t mention it,” Flowey reveals. Sans nods apathetically, his eyes unable to peel away from Frisk’s small body. 

“You can go you know! Sorry if I made you stay for too long-”

“No please, go,” Flowey inserts. “He’s just too… sweet,” he narrows his eyes at the colorful skeleton that smelled of cotton candy. “And he always pops candy into his mouth. He always smells sweet. Like candy. He’s always apologizing and being sincere. It’s too much for me!”

“heh, sorry about all that-”

“YOU SEE?!” Flowey breathes out, exasperated. Frisk giggles, picking up the flower for it to wrap around his small and fragile body. “Yeah. Go tell them Frisk.”

“He’s a big marshmallow!” Frisk chimes in, making the flower growl.

“I know he is,” you agree, glancing at the skeleton in front of you who was enjoying the compliments a bit too much. “Go back home with Papyrus. And Gaster too, they must be waiting for you back there-”

“Did you just say Gaster? THE Gaster? Royal scientist?!” Flowey gasps, dumbstruck. You and Sans nodded, causing him to daze out into the distance. “I shouldn’t be stupidly surprised. It’s freaking candy land over there. Is he into cakes and lollipops too?” he sarcastically bellowed out.

“you got that right. croissants and… yeah, such.”

Flowey gasped yet again. “THAT IS A LIE. Fabrications!”

“No we’re being serious. I’m aware of how Gaster is… mysterious. Or at least in my universe. I’m sure he’s just as creepy in others… especially your’s. But there’s an exception to that in here,” your hands point to Sans. “A big one. He’s like… the easter bunny. It’s kind of weird when comparing him to other Gasters.”

“Very,” Flowey keeps narrowing his eyes at Sans, who was pulling out his cellphone. He nervously smiled at the flower, dialing out numbers. 

“um, i guess this is goodbye,” he solemnly mumbled, his pupils focused on his phone.

“For now,” you add, making him look up at you to smile. “It’s just a relief that you’re safe and sound and returning home without anything having happened to you. I’m happy about that.”

“but don’t think i won’t be worried sick for ya’. got my eyes peeled out for the cell here,” he emphasizes the cell, shaking it to catch your attention. “take care. please.”

“I’ll try my best. And sorry if I don’t respond promptly or soon. Might be busy,” you explain, watching Frisk slowly walk out of the group. “Good bye, and good luck! I know everything will go fine for you.”

“i could say the same. ain’t it obvious i’ll be fine back at my place?” He opens a door after his cell makes a robotic sound, unable to show the contents on the other side. This must be the portal that allows him to travel from his universe to your own presence. It still baffles you, the effort and time he must have put in to get to you. It’s… like fiction.

“Now that I think about it, yeah, I guess I do sound silly when I say that to you, right?”

He pauses halfway through the portal, giving you a yearning desire for company. “be careful. i can only take so much bad news, heh. slice ‘em if you have to.”

“I will,” you reassure him, making him close his eyes in glee. He finally fully passes through the portal. You watch it close abruptly, a bright light released upon its closure. 

“’bout damn time the clone leaves,” a voice hampers your thoughts, giving you a jolt of fright. Frisk wasn’t anywhere to be seen, nor was Flowey. How could you have been so absorbed by sugarSans that you didn’t think of following those two. Now you’re left with a menacing monster beside you.

You grow vigilant, prepared to dash out of his sight when he gives you the chance to. 

Then again why did you have to wait. “Sorry but um… I have to find somebody!” you squeal before making a dash for it, following the tiny footsteps in the snow. You can hear him scream in protest out in the distance.

Frisk couldn’t have gone far, could he? You assume he did. A minute passes and you still see footprints, oh, wait, they make a sharp turn into the woods. It wasn’t the best place to be and you knew it, hence your flabbergasted expression at the realization. “Frisk?!”

You weren’t being chased, yet you knew that he could teleport anywhere near you and give you a surprise heart attack. It’s a common habit with the Sans’ you’ve met.

And there he was. He jumps out of nowhere and lands in front of you, clearly upset and fuming about humans. “this is why i can’t have nice things! damn papyrus breathin’ down my back about catching you devious humans, never shuttin’ up and reminding me ‘bout how i need to get off my ass and-”

“FRIEND!” Frisk rockets out of the bush located beside Sans. He slams right on to him, wrapping his slippery hands around his waist. 

“_____!!!” Flowey cries out, unable to control the child. Sans stood there, staring at Frisk. It took him a few seconds for him to register that there was a child hugging him, burning him up from god who knows what. Shame? Shock? Agitation? Confusion? He tried to pry the arms off his waist, but to no avail.

“get off of me you squirt!” he demanded, unable to release the child’s weak arms. You stood there, not knowing what to do or how to react. You could try to save the child, but it would put all of you in risk, but Sans didn’t seem to be as harsh and blood thirsty as his brother, which was a relief to you.

“…NU.”

“UGH!” He finally unwrapped his arms, holding Frisk by his neck. Frisk tried to free himself off, but failed. Flowey didn’t have enough time to react as Sans ripped him off of Frisk’s body, squishing him with his other hand. He glared at you, making you stay in your place. You were aware that if you were to attack he might pull off the common “move and I’ll kill them” tactic. Movies are to blame, really.

“all you humans are so annoyin’, damn.” He stares down at Frisk, who was determined to keep his eyes locked on to the red pupils. “you’re the worst of them all. no matter how many times i kill ya’… bones, gaster blasters, slammin’ you against sharp shit, you’re still here,” he growled, annoyed. He glared at you next. “then you. the hell is your problem here, huh? you got a scythe you like to swing around and you can’t land a hit on anyone? weak much?” he taunted, but it didn’t seem to work. You stood there guiltily, not wanting to be referred to as somebody who liked to swing a scythe around.

“Please don’t hurt them,” you say. This catches him off guard. “This might sound weird, and I’m sure it will, but from experience I know you’re really sweet inside. Don’t ask… I just… I just know.” He stares at you, a red tinge forming on his cheeks the more he pondered with your words. 

“stop talkin’ nonsense,” he says through gritted teeth, his hands still holding tightly around their hosts. You start to panic internally, not knowing what else you could do without setting him off to break their necks. Or stem. Would it be stem?

“Just don’t hurt them and we’ll leave-”

“heh, you don’t get it, do you?” he interrupts, his left pupil expanding and glowing bright red. “i’ll kill you where you stand!” He hurls Frisk out of the way and envelops you in a transparent red glow. You gasp, remembering that same glow that duffle coat Sans used to slam you around. Unlike Frisk, who had the power to simply start over and over when he would be killed, you didn’t. You would remain dead. It isn’t something you liked to think about either… it was… terrifying. Horrifying. The last thing you want to experience is being murdered in cold blood by somebody who looked identical to your good friends.

His hand rises, taking you off the ground and into the air. A scythe materializes beside you, and without a second thought, you snatch it from the air. 

“how menacing,” he smirks, slamming his hand down. Sharp bones erupt from the ground, waiting for your body to slam down on to them. You shriek and hold the scythe close to you, expecting the sweet taste of blood in your mouth. 

But it never came.


	38. “for the record, i’m not doin’ this for you. doing this to annoy the hell out of my bro.”

You landed in softness. Upon opening your eyes, you find out Flowey had covered the bones in his tendrils, making Sans grunt in disapproval. 

“_____!” Frisk hollered, struggling to his feet. Flowey bites down on the enemy's hand, causing him to flinch and instinctively let go. The flower then immediately wraps his green tendrils around the skeleton, unable to waste another minute doing nothing but being helpless. 

Frisk rushes to your aid, throwing you a water bottle. You wish you attained Frisk’s ability to magically revitalize and heal wounds by simply drinking and eating. Alas, you could not. You thank Frisk anyway.

“Go! Kill him!” Flowey yells out, struggling to keep the skeleton in place. Frisk protested, screaming bloody murder and clinging to your leg. You leap out of the soft bed of dead tendrils, watching Sans try to squirm out of the prison he's been thrown in. He scowled, yet unable to meet your gaze. Flowey kept repeating his command, clearly exhausted and afraid that the skeleton might easily break loose if he tries. 

But Sans stopped. He halted and smirked, taunting you.

And you didn’t have the power in you to end his life. He could easily teleport out and wreak havoc on all of you… so why hasn’t he? Unlike Papyrus, who showed no mercy with an actual intent to kill, Sans seems to be holding something back. 

Your hands tremble, causing the scythe to disappear in a flash of magic. This caught Sans’ attention, who looked bewildered. But the look didn’t last long. He easily teleports out and flashes beside you. Your reaction took too long and, before you realized he was there, he had snatched Frisk. 

“squirt is comin’ with me,” he announces, now back to where the tendrils he had slipped out of. Flowey tried to grab him using more vines but he easily dodged them, finally showing his capabilities as he takes you three more seriously. Frisk hugs Sans, making him grow beet red and extend his arms out, detesting the affection. “chill the heck out, will ya’?” he grumbled before ripping out a door. He walked through and closed it before Flowey could shoot through. He was too late and face-planted on to the snow beyond. 

You stood there, everything having occurred too quickly for your mind to catch on.

“Why didn’t you slice him!? You had the opening!” Flowey scolded, letting out a noticeable whine. 

“Because… I don’t know. I didn’t want to. I didn’t have it in me. It’s as if… my energy drained away. As if I were staring into the other versions of Sans’-”

“He isn’t AT ALL like the other versions!” he shrieked. “Just… you JUST had to slice and dice!”

“I, um, I’m sorry-”

“Now we have to go saaaave Frisk, let’s go!” he urged, disappearing into the ground. You stood there, appalled and trying to catch up. This could have all been prevented if you had simply done as Flowey told you to and attacked. He wasn’t like any of the other Sans’ you knew, so there was nothing to worry about, right? But that’s the thing. He was. He was just like the others. He reminded you of the others. He spoke similarly to the others. He dressed like the others. He has the same powers. Yes, he has an intent to kill, but a part of you doesn’t want to go through with it and murder in return.

You didn’t want to. You’ve never killed anything, save for a few ants and bugs of course. Did you really want to go down that path? Did you want to murder? No. Seeing Frisk’s eyes and cries for bloody murder was terrifying enough to prevent you from going down that path. Defending yourself and others is one thing, but murdering is another. You’ve never been given a reason or have the will to do so. 

To splatter one’s blood and ashes. To slice them with sharp knives and scythes. To see their limp bodies slowly descend down to the ground. To perish and unable to continue any longer. To have somebody like you, dreaming of healing others, turn into somebody who can just as easily take away their lives. It wasn’t what you had planned. It wasn’t what you wanted to become. 

“Are you even listening?!”

You return to the world around, Flowey staring up at you from the ground he has just emerged from. Small flecks of snow landed on his bruised body, the lack of petals disturbing. To see him without any leaves or petals made him look extremely vulnerable and helpless. Which was far from the truth, really, he had the power to rip you to shreds with his tendrils and vines if he could.

“Yes, sorry, let’s go,” you breathe out. Where could you start? You didn’t have the slightest idea of where to start. You couldn’t happily trot to the nearby Snowdin Town, of course not, not in this world where every monster is out to kill humans like you. It would be a suicide mission. A mission that Frisk was willing to take, which made you look rather pathetic and cowardly. It’s surprising how that child had the courage to keep facing both Papyrus and Sans, despite their menacing appearances and killing instincts.

“Uh, let’s go to Snowdin. We’ll hide out in the shadows!” Flowey suggested, climbing up to rest on your shoulders. “The more we wait, the less likely he’ll be alive! And we don’t want him to reset!”

“You’re right, we don’t want him to reset,” you repeated his words to yourself, finally moving forward. You barely remembered the way back to Snowdin from that eventful day in the galactic world. The day where the scythe was absent from your brawls and you relied on your dodging alone. Dodging that you haven’t been the best at, especially now that you depended too much on your scythe that you appear to forget you have the ability to dodge many things.

The woods didn’t seem friendly to you, but it was better than walking out in the open. You enter them and continue on, parallel to the trail that leads to Snowdin. Flowey remained wrapped around your neck, although loosely, and bounced in every step you took. At first you were walking, but as the time passed you started to speed up progressively. Eventually you were now gliding through the woods.

“Where do you think,” you start, panting. “we should, um.” You can feel your wounds opening once again, making you flinch and grunt from the sharp pain. “go look for Frisk?”

“Anywhere! He could be anywhere! But I think I know… I think I know. Just keep heading to Snowdin!” he thought up. You slowed down, unable to keep going with the sharp stabbing pain that came along with every step you took. It was unbearable for the minute you’ve tried. “Why are we slowing down? Why, oh, OH OH. IS THAT BLOOD. ARE YOU BLEEDING?!?”

“It’s nothing big, don’t worry-”

“Nothing? HA. HAHA. Yes, you’re definitely a moron. How can you not tell me you were injured? I could have help you not get worse!”

“Yeah, I can imagine how,” you sarcastically responded, speed walking towards Snowdin. “I’ll rest once we save Frisk.” He slithers his way over your clothes, locating the bleeding injuries you claimed were of no big deal. His touch and exploration make you jump from the sudden jolt of pain, making him quickly retreat back every time. But as stubborn as he was he kept returning, exploring for any others. You refused to let it bother you, but once you had reached the bridge leading to Snowdin you couldn’t help but ask of him to stop.

“Let me heal you up while you make your way to Snowdin. That way you don’t slow us down,” he suggested. You denied his offer, not wanting to feel like a burden. He kept repeating, but you insisted that you were alright. “Why are you so, AGH. WHERE’S THAT CHILD SO THAT I CAN RESET.”

“We’re going for him now,” you respond, taking a dash down the bridge. He slithers back up to your shoulders, holding on for dear life. The wood creaked under the pressure of your blood-spotted shoes, the rope trembling at every step. The drop from your height was great, so you didn’t bother to check with your own eyes to prove the theory. Heights were something you didn’t enjoy, but you won’t let it stop you from getting across. 

The rest of the short small voyage was spent hearing Flowey comment on Frisk’s attempts. You were a good listener, or so Flowey said, not because you were, but because… well, he was a good story teller. He puts emotion into the story, not to mention unnecessary tension. Especially when it came to the moments where he was the heroic one. He would exaggerate in the drama to make himself look extremely heroic and justified. Fortunately, it was enough to get your mind off of your bloody injuries. 

 

\--

 

“just die. die already!”

Frisk held his head high despite being sprawled on the ground. He had definitely taken a beating. If it weren’t for the drinks and food you have given him then he wouldn’t have survived as well as he has. But he wasn’t giving up. Never will. He was determined to befriend somebody down here. Someone. Anybody. Not one monster has succumbed to his kindness and he wants to change that.

“DIE!” Sans bellows, slamming the child against the walls around. The skeleton had teleported the child to Papyrus’ secret room. A tool shed, if you will, albeit badly built and done. Anybody could escape the mess, but Sans didn’t give a care. For all he knew Papyrus could build whatever his puny brain desired. As long as he wasn’t screaming down his back.

Papyrus hasn’t arrived yet and Sans desperately wants the child to be finished with. However, he didn’t have the heart to do the final blow. As a result, he was trying to dwindle whatever energy the brat had, but it wasn’t working to his favor. On the contrary, Frisk appears to sneak in a few bites here and there and recover. There was no end to the drinks and food items. 

“It’s o-okay… I’m okay,” Frisk stutters, clambering to his feet. He falls and whimpers, yet tries to stand despite his injuries. 

“ugh.” 

One lone sharp bone pierces through the child’s chest.

His heart shatters.

Loading the last save.

But he won’t give up, no. Frisk reappears in front of the tool shed once again, memories of the previous battles fresh in his mind. The bones, the blasters that try not to damage the room too much, the psychic abilities, everything. Frisk was ready to challenge Sans yet again, but this time without Flowey. Just like the other times. 

After he was snatched away from you and Flowey he was dropped off in front of a wooden house. Without any answer. Without anything to guide him. Sans dropped him on the spot and quickly retreated into the odd garage-like storage room in front. He had tried and tried to befriend, but ended up perishing and starting over from this one spot. He lost count after he used all his fingers as numbers.

Eerie silence took over, making the child grow nervous. 

“Hello? Sans? Are you there?” He knocked on the door. It was archaic and scratches covered its metallic shine. It was cold and hard to the touch, but not menacing enough to stop the child. He knocked again, louder. “Hello? I saw you enter, please, hello?”

There was no response. Frisk smacks the door nonstop, attempting to gain his attention.

And it works.

“why are you still here? do you have a death wish?” The familiar voice gave Frisk joy, making him leap and face the direction of the voice. “don’t get cocky, i’m not doin’ this for you-”

“I know! I know you want me to be safe and get away from here because your brother is guarding the other side of Snowdin, but I don’t want to leave! I want to be friends with you first!” he explains, already knowing the exact words Sans had said. 

“the hell with that,” he snapped back, jolting the child. “when will you get it through your head that i will never be friends with a human.”

“I can change that, let me!” Frisk insisted, impatient after having relived the exact same situation nearly a dozen times. Sans fumed, balling his hands into fists. “I won’t give up,” Frisk added, throwing himself at the skeleton for another hug. He easily dodged it, stepping aside and watching the human plummet down to the snow. His words were muffled.

“give up,” he mumbled, walking away. Frisk lifts his head from the snow, a grin plastered on his face. To see Sans do something different from the past is one thing he liked to see. He’s never said those words and walked away afterwards. In fact, it led to a conversation that eventually started the fight Frisk had been dying from the past few times. It was… progress? Yes, progress!

“You see? It’s working!” he cheered himself up. He hops out of the snow and bounds towards the skeleton. Sans stopped Frisk from going any further by enveloping the child in a red glow. “Awwww, I was getting close too!”

“when will you learn that you will never survive here with damn hugs and laughs?!” he yelled and turned, ascending Frisk to the air above. He was growing agitated, a red tinge under his eyes. “why do you have to be so stubborn. so flippin’ stubborn. so… determined and shit.”

“Cursing is bad!” Frisk scolded, only to fluster and laugh it off. Sans was confounded, glaring at Frisk. He was sure that if he were to kill him, no matter the method, slow or painful, he would return. “Doesn’t matter, I like you anyway!”

“tch.” Defeated, the skeleton drops the child, the red glow dissipating. “squander off already,” he murmured, falling to his knees, his skeletal hands sinking into the snow. Frisk didn’t budge, his eyes filled with hope and joy. As Frisk hugged himself, out in the distance, a tall figure was entering view. Sans flinched at the revelation of the individual, his brother’s face showing rage.

“SANS!!!”

“Oh it’s Papyrus!” Frisk rejoiced, causing Sans’ face to drain out of life. He was fully aware that, unlike himself, Papyrus wasn’t capable of giving the human a chance. He’s the only reason Sans had been so hesitant to slack off, for his brother… was something else. He didn’t tolerate his failures or lethargic ways, hence the constant scolding and humiliations. While Sans didn’t detest him, albeit he definitely looks as if he did, he is the reason he still tries. 

He was the closest thing he’s had to a friend. He’s seen him grow before his very own eyes into someone who was willing to do almost anything to achieve his dreams. Even if his dreams were something he wasn’t fond of. But alas, Sans… felt left behind. Or so it felt like it. Once upon a time he was his older brother, raising him and molding him to be the skeleton he is now. Yet it seems to have backfired. Sans was no longer treated as an older brother, but the younger of the two who seems to constantly disappoint. He’s used to it, but at times it tends to burrow through his thick bones and affect him. 

Until the human showed up.

“Hello new friend!” Frisk cups his hands and hollers, making Papyrus halt.

“I REFUSE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH A WORD! AWAY WITH YOU, HUMAN!!!” he yells back, continuing his dash. He materializes and grasps the bone, preparing for a duel. “AFTER I KILL YOU THEN I… I CAN BE WASHED WITH GLORY AND HONOR!”

Sans props himself up, ignoring the clumps of snow still sticking to him. Instead, he focused on Frisk, fighting mentally to himself as to whether he should protect or not. Memories flash before him, seeing Frisk’s blood splattered and cries released, yet also his words. His determination. His will to keep going despite the odds stacked against him. Despite being told, and repeated, that he would never be able to accomplish his goal. Many would have been hindered and possibly given up all together, but not him.

“BROTHER?! WHY ARE YOU NOT DOING ANYTHING?!? STOP WASTING PRECIOUS SECONDS AND KILL THE HUMAN THIS INSTANT!” he demanded, yards away from Frisk. He raises the bone, ready to throw.

‘god damn friendships,’ Sans thought to himself. Without a second to waste, he teleports himself to the child, who was too focused on the approaching enemy. Without warning Frisk was snatched, Sans ripping a door open before his brother’s eyes.

“can’t let you have all the glory bro,” he says with a smug grin before vanishing through the portal. He didn’t waste a second closing the door, refusing to let his brother pass through. 

Frisk gasped, his eyes trying to behold the sight before him. He was nowhere near Snowdin, but far from it. The cold atmosphere and stinging snow was replaced by unbearable heat and pebbles scattered over the grainy ground underneath. Looking over the horizon revealed lava that appears to be like this area’s ocean; in motion and in vast amounts. At times some areas bubble, spitting its own contents as if it were alive. 

“Are we friends?” Frisk piped up, tugging at his shorts. Sans ignores, knocking on the door in front of him. Frisk keeps tugging. “I can wait, it’s okay, I don’t mind-”

“shut up already,” he grumbles, blushing. He wasn’t accustomed to being called a comrade, much less allow for a friendship to occur with him. This was all new to him, and it was terrifying. However, he was willing to finally test the waters. He was willing to tolerate the squirt’s behavior and keep him away from harm’s away. At least for now. 

“Since we’re friends, can you help me find my other friends? They’re lost somewhere and I’m really worried.” Sans grit his teeth, not wanting to think about the other two individuals. The flower was a nuisance. The other human was… there was no words for her. She suddenly pops out of nowhere. It’s as if she appeared out of nowhere, like a puzzle piece that didn’t belong. It definitely made him think, but he didn’t think too deep into it.

“for the record, i’m not doin’ this for you. doing this to annoy the hell out of my bro,” he explained, unable to share his true motives. He wouldn’t stoop that low as to get too mushy and emotional. He was Sans. Sans, the one who didn’t take orders from anyone except his own brother. Yet here he was, saving a child from the being he thought he was working for.

 

\--

 

You felt as if you’ve ran this path before, but you’re sure it’s your first time. Past the broken tree branches, hills of snow, patches of ice, and even the bridge. It all looked familiar to you. Flowey doesn’t seem to share the same feelings.

“You’re sure this doesn’t seem familiar to you? Like… déjà vu? Didn’t think I would be using outerSans’ term for this-oh. Oh I really wonder if this is how it feels like to reset and stuff, but I didn’t even notice I-”

“Frisk tells me when we’ve reset or not. My memory is useless when it comes to that,” he shares. “Without him I can’t tell the difference.”

“So no déjà vu?”

“What’s that?” he asked, puzzled. “Is that an idiotic term you humans use?”

“Well, it’s hard to explain.” Snowdin can be seen, prompting you to go deeper into the woods to avoid being sighted. “You could say it means, um, when you feel like you’ve been somewhere before, or seen an event before, or done something… even though you’re sure it’s your first time doing it or seeing it.”

“Oh.”

No longer dashing, the pain of your wounds having slowed you down, you keep an eye out for anybody who might be close by. Luckily there has been no encounters. 

“So… you have sort of a stupid nickname for each Sans?” he questioned, not wanting silence as company. 

“Well yes. When you get to travel to other worlds and all, it’s kind of helpful to have some sort of… code thing? Nicknames? Or something to be able to tell them apart. It makes sense in my mind to call them all Sans and see them… but for others, like you, you would have no clue who I’m talking about. You could easily confuse the Sans I’m talking about with the only Sans you know.” The explanation made you grow weary. It hasn’t even been a day and it felt like forever. You have yet to contact anybody back at your original base, nor the swap brothers. Surely they’re wanting to hear from you. The guilt was beginning to weigh you down.

“So… let me guess, they’re nothing like the mean-of-a-Sans we have here?” he guessed. You nodded, your quick steps having finally slowed to a gait. The pain wasn’t unbearable, but it was enough to make you slow down tremendously. “If you only let me heal your wounds we wouldn’t be like we are now!” he blurts out, annoyed by your reluctance to let him patch you up.

“No, I feel bad about that. Can’t be weak when Frisk is… well, the one who has apparently died repeatedly. I can barely handle these wounds and it makes me look weak,” you begin to cry, making Flowey grow tense. He panicked, not knowing how to handle the situation.

“Hey, hey, hey! No! Stop crying!” he implored. “Stop and focus! Stop crying and focus! Let’s go save Frisk, but not with you crying!”

“Sorry uh,” you say between sniffs and coughs. You stop, leaning against a tree. Your unstable breathing wasn’t helping the pain go away. It was worse now. “Just had to stop for a bit… we’ll keep going-”

“Don’t you dare change the subject!” he shoots, sneaking under your clothes. You yelp and dig under your shirt, trying to find Flowey and drag him out. But when you did you flinched, his tendrils having found your major wound. The gash on the side of your abdomen was opening and it was getting worse. You only had yourself to blame. Lack of sleep, nutrition, fluids, and battles have definitely allowed it to reopen too easily.

He couldn’t get far in inspecting your wound due to the watch vibrating. You quickly open and find out it was outerSans. 

“Is it that overly-sweet ‘I’m sorry’ candy-smelling skeleton?” Flowey asked mockingly, annoyed that you had brushed him off your wounds. He tried again, succeeding in unsticking your damp clothes from the wound.

“sup? checkin’ in on my pal,” his voice made its way to you, giving you relief.


	39. “Why do I feel as if something is going to happen?”

The conversation went down south really quick.

“what? do you think i’ll just stay calm ‘bout this?”

“I didn’t want to like, not tell you about it,” you reason, squirming at Flowey’s cold touch. “Sorry, but I also wanted to ask you another question while we’re at it.” You whimper, instinctively pushing Flowey away. He scoffed, returning every time to patch up your wounds with the kit you’ve given him. “It’s about, um, resets. Remember how you said you experience déjà vu and all? That it feels like-oh, wait, also curious to know how you know that term. But anyway, yeah, I think I may have… felt that too many times? As if I knew what might happen. Like my mind clicked and told me that we already experienced this,” you tried to explain to the best of your ability.

“…dunno if it’s worth workin’ yourself over. c’mon, just try your best. just uh… try to stay alive buddy. alright? you aren’t like the kid who can, uh, start over. you can’t.” You were aware of that and it frightened you. It’s the only reason Frisk was so determined and willing to continue. He knew that being killed didn’t really matter if it meant he could simply restart and relive the same situation. After a while it will be predictable and he can triumph! But you weren’t like Frisk. Frisk was special, and you? You weren’t like Frisk.

“Try not to worry, I got this under control-OW,” you cried out. Flowey mocked you, only to apologize immediately after. He had just finished fixing the wound, although red spots here and there still dotted the bandage. Soon the blood will seep through.

“hey.” He paused, sighing and breathing into the cell. “sounds strange but, after meeting you i secretly wanted to be friends. and thing is… we are. was a relief. you were different. you were somebody i wanted to be pals with. dunno why, don’t wanna know. just… a gut feelin’?”

You stop and absorb his words, blushing at the thought of him mustering up the courage to say such. “Yeah, I get that too, but most of the time it’s just fate or destiny that makes me meet certain people and monsters." Your mind then thinks back to Paige, whom you can't help but smile at the thought of. "It’s the only reason I know Paige.”

“yeah. and that’s why i want you to know that i don’t wanna… not hear from you again. to be blunt, there’s nothing i can do and it’s kinda pissing me off.”

“I’ll be fine; I have others helping me here. Give me no more than a day, if I, well, no, I will respond before the end of today. Whatever the time is over there. Don’t know what it is. Just uh, add 24 hours to right now, yes!”

“you’re something else,” he chuckles, making you blush once more at how unprepared you must sound like. Back at the surface you weren’t very social, much less a public speaker. “take care.”

“I will, promise,” you respond before hearing him hang up. Flowey was impatiently waiting, glaring at you from the corner of his eyes. “Did I take too long? Sorry, but the pain is kind of not too bad now? We can keep going now.” You stand up as Flowey wrapped himself around your right leg, the wounds stinging as you moved. 

“Go go go! We don’t have much time!” he urged. A minute into dashing he began to speak again. “Newsflash... I don’t know where Frisk might be.” You gawk, your running becoming erratic. 

“Wait what? So you don’t really know where he could be?!”

“Nope! Did you not hear me the first time?!” he shot back, embarrassed. 

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” you asked, halting. You didn’t cover much ground, but from what you see you could be near Paige’s and Grillby’s dens, which were then near Grillby’s bar. 

Flowey shrugged. “But where could we go look for him? I have no idea-”

“This doesn’t seem familiar to you?” Flowey interrupts, making you glance at him, confused. “You said when it all felt and looked familiar that Frisk could have reset?” You gasp, taking a good look at the vicinity around you. No, it didn’t feel as if you’ve gone through this exact path in this exact universe. You only remembered due to your visits to the galactic world. “Do you think…?”

“Let’s hope not.”

“YOU!” Flowey shrieked, facing behind you. You turn, eyes widening at the sight. It was Sans. “What are you doing here, freak?!” he demanded. Sans grinned, his gold tooth gleaming in the dark and dreary atmosphere around. It stood out from his pearly whites. 

“don’t get the wrong idea-”

“Where’s Frisk?!” you blurt out, heart pounding at the sight of him. “Tell me he’s okay! It’s been so long, or it felt like it.” He glares, no longer grinning but frowning out of disgust. 

“if it weren’t for the squirt i wouldn’t be here,” he mumbled, looking away. You tried to meet his gaze, but he refused. Flowey was still unforgiving, bristling. 

“SANS?!” Papyrus’ voice broke out from the distance, prompting Sans to rip open a door. He didn’t give you enough time to speak, nor Flowey, before hurling you through it. You quickly stand up, but the door had been closed by then. Sans was nowhere in sight. He must have stayed back with his brother. 

“Idiot idiot idiot idiot!” Flowey slapped himself. “We could have easily died!”

“Look, Flowey-”

“LEAVE ME BE!” he yelled, overly dramatic and falling limp. You examine the area you were thrown into, eyes wild with stimuli. Compared to the woods you just came out of you were fairly surprised to be inside a laboratory of sorts. It was just like Alphys’ old laboratory. Were you in Alphys’ laboratory? The old one? For this universe?

There was a bag of dog food beside a large desk containing a monitor. Out of curiosity you stood up, making your way towards it. The monitor was turned off, static on top of its screen if a hand were to swipe over it. The smell of spoiled dog food crinkled your nose. Flowey was still drooped over your shoulder, muttering to himself about the possible near-death experience.

Dirt, dust, snow, and other chemicals and substances were spilled and smudged on to the metallic floor, making you cringe. The walls were clean, which contrasted with the unorganized desks and items on the table. 

“_____! Flowey!” Frisk’s joyful voice echoed, your heart fluttering at the voice. Flowey shot back up, erect and gawking at the walls around. 

“Frisk!” you blurt out without a second’s thought, rushing towards the source. He repeats the name calling, making you stop at times to figure out where it was coming from. After a few calls and stops you managed to pinpoint the location. One second his voice would be coming from upstairs, the next from the bathroom area. It was confusing, but you think you have it figured out.

“Even now he dooms us,” Flowey complains, lazily falling over your shoulder. 

“I think I got it.” You enter the elevator, pressing every button in sight. “Okay maybe. I don’t know what I just did.”

“Do what?” Flowey erects himself once more, inspecting the elevator. “How do you know your way around the stutterer’s lab?” The elevator door closes, sealing the two of you inside. It jolted itself into movement, nearly knocking you down from your feet.

“It’s a long story, but, I’m just as surprised as you are. I guess I have a good memory after seeing such a place for only a month or so. Then they tore it down, back at my universe anyway, and rebuilt something completely different.” The two of you stayed silent afterwards. Once in a while there were worrisome sounds such as metal grinding against metal and bolts being thrown here and there. 

Eventually it screeched to a halt, elevator music starting up. Flowey groaned, impatient. You remained in your spot, anticipating the opening of its metallic doors. 

But that isn’t what happened.

The elevator music suddenly switched to sirens, the soothing dim lights turned bloody red, and the elevator began to tremble. Your hands reach for the sidebars, terrified of what might occur. Movies tend to make it seem as if these situations could only end up with tragedies or teleporting to a magical place up in the sky, but hopefully it was neither.

“Are you kidding me!?” Flowey complained, vines wrapping themselves on most of the bars inside the elevator. You prepared for the worst, hands firmly gripping the metallic shiny bars.

You were thrown off guard the moment the elevator suddenly shot up, taking speed. “ELEVATORS!”

“H-hey,” you began, but the lump in your throat prevented you from saying more. The horror kept going for a minute more, your watch falling in between the shakes and being thrown all over. In response you let go of the bars, trying your best to grab it. It slipped away every time, the thumps and jerks making you bounce repeatedly and lose grip. 

And finally it stopped. It was sudden, but it finally halted. The lights returned to their pale yellow and dim colors, music nor sirens erupting through its speakers, and the pocket watch slightly trembling. Flowey refused to let go of the bars, consumed by fear. 

You grab the watch and stand up, although with a light head. The doors were still closed, hiding the horrors that might leak beyond. “Why do I feel as if something is going to happen?” you mumbled, your stomach suddenly in knots. Frisk could be on the other side, but with who? Alphys?

“Ha… hahaha… I don’t doubt it one bit.”

Your body begins to feel cold, your head twisting in pain. Your hands and feet are beginning to shiver, making you fall down and curl. Flowey seems to notice. “Oh no. Hey, stupid, are you okay? Are you-What is that? Something is glowing!” he gasps, releasing his vines and jumping over to you. You didn’t have the energy to move, your abdomen beginning to burn. 

The flower lifts your shirt, a gasp escaping his lips. “Is it normal for your skin to glow? Is it?”

You begin to quiver, tears strolling down your face at the immense pain. The voices around you are tuned out, a ringing in your ears taking over. Opening your eyes reveals elevator doors that had been swung open with Frisk staring at you wide eyed. Behind him was… Alphys. 

A scream escapes your lips, a sudden pound of pain hitting your lower abdomen. You sprawl down on to the ground, unable to move in fear of more pain striking you down.

“_____!”

Your world blacks out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the end of the Prologue (to which I have yet to update on its completion in the summary), and to the beginning of a week-long hiatus.
> 
> Don't worry, this week will pass by quick! I find it fitting that I stop when the Prologue ends in order to write myself some chapters! As of this moment, I have up to Chapter 55 written, however I want to reaaaally write a lot more chapters. I want to do that just in case I get too busy when I transfer over to my University, and if I DO GET TOO BUSY ONCE I START MY UNIVERSITY-DORM LIFE, hopefully I have a lot of chapters in reserve to be putting up every day. Last thing we want is to eventually catch up to the last Chapter I've written and go on the "wait until I write up the Chapter" formula. 
> 
> Thank you for being patient and sticking as long as you did! Yes, the prologue didn't introduce all of the AUs as of yet, but trust me, once Chapter 40 is up, you'll be thrown into a new AU right away. I believe we have yet to touch on Underpatch and Hollowtale and a few others, so stick with me and you'll see them eventually. cx I love you guys! You're the best! Have a nice week!


	40. "Sorry. I just… don’t remember a lot."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo here we go! The one week hiatus ended, although it flew by so quick for me, hopefully the wait wasn't in vain!
> 
> Right off the bat we're introducing Underpatch, or what some may recognize it as the Gaster!Sans and Gaster!Papyrus duo. Compared to the Prologue, the main story does go a bit quicker and contain more... surprising things. Of course, it is a continuation of the Prologue. 
> 
> But anyway, enjoy and thank you!

You wince. Despite your eyes being closed you were still blinded by the light outside. Red was all you could see, prompting you to flutter them open. It took a short while, closing every second due to the immense bright lights before you. There were no memories to explain why you were here nor the lingering headache.

“Hello?!”

Unable to adjust to the light you cover your face with your hands, trying to remember what happened last. But your mind went blank. Nothing. Nothing came up! What did you do yesterday? What just happened? Why are you here? Why is there a headache? It frightened you.

“Are you okay?”

The voices were numerous, each unique in their own way. There was one emitted from a frantic child. There was another that squeaked out, seemingly coming from a small person. Then there was a third. It was deep yet stern.

“Um…” You manage to sit up, one hand still covering half your face. You furrow your brows, afraid to react to the voices you didn’t recognize. “Hello?” There was a metallic table beneath you, the shaft of light that was blinding you before no longer bothering you. It was now behind you, shining where your eyes had originally been. 

Your eyes flutter open, this time able to adjust. But when your vision focused you realized you weren’t ready. There was a child sitting on your lap, their saucer-sized eyes studying your expression. To your right there was a yellow reptilian-like monster, beads of sweat covering her face as she breaths without rhythm. Then, to your left, was another non-human creature. A tall being wearing a white turtle neck sweater and grey pants. Instead of a normal human head there was a skull in its place. No, he might as well be a tall walking skeleton. He had a skull, skeletal hands with a hole going through their palms, and possibly underneath the clothing was nothing more than bones.

But their pupil. Their right eye socket was empty, devoid of life. It was different for their left eye socket, which harbored a yellow, glowing eye. Was it a glowing eye or simply a yellow pupil? 

He looked inquisitively at you, never breaking eye contact. “Where am I?” you uttered, baffled by what you were witnessing. He lifted his hidden hand from under the table, carrying a cigar-like thing to his skeletal mouth. You began to gawk, surprised to see bones move as if they were… well, not bones. They weren’t stiff, and the man was making them look extremely animated. 

He seemed surprised by your reaction. “cat got your tongue?” he asked, raising an invisible brow line. You opened your mouth to respond, but nothing came out. The child on your legs inched closer, making you flinch at how close they’ve managed to get. “don’t scare her now,” he told the child. You met the child’s eyes, terrified and agitated. To know that you had no memory of anything, other than your name, is very upsetting. You can recall pieces from your childhood, but otherwise nothing. 

“Will she b-be okay?” the reptile wondered, stuttering. She rummages through her pockets, the sounds of metals and led pencils heard as she did so.

“she’ll be fine alphys.”

“Hai!” the child spoke, curious and grinning. “My name is Frisk! What’s your name?” You blinked, still trying to absorb everything you’re hearing and seeing. Beyond a few feet there was nothing but darkness. You could barely make out silhouettes of machines and décor, the reptilian soon disappearing into it as Frisk awaited your response.

“My… name? Um. It’s…” What is it? It’s at the tip of your tongue. You just remembered it. You can’t forget it now. “I… can’t remember. I just had it.” Frisk wrinkled their nose, placing one finger on the tip of your nose. You stared at their finger, comforted by their touch.

“Boop.”

“_____,” you mumbled, smiling at the name. You finally remembered and said it the moment you did. “It’s _____. That’s my name.” Frisk repeated it, thrilled to be able to call you by something other than, well, anything. He throws his hands up into the air, falling backwards. He lands on your lower legs, letting out a complacent sigh. 

“tell me this,” the skeletal man starts, rubbing the end of his cigar against the end of his sleeve. He throws it to the ground, his yellow pupil focused on you. “can you recall anything else other than your name?” You pursed your lips, disappointed in your own memory. “guess not.” 

“Sorry,” you apologized, solemn for being unable to recall. He smiles half-heartedly, placing his hand near Frisk’s. “I just… don’t remember a lot. I know my childhood, if that helps? But trust me, I do want to know… everything else. I don’t remember what I did yesterday, how I got here, any friends other than my family, or anything else. It makes me kind of, upset?”

“hm? how about a pocket watch?” he inquired, making you grow puzzled. 

“A pocket watch? Are you asking because I had one?” You try to think hard, digging deep into your mind for any clue or spark that might ignite a train of thoughts and memories. But nothing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Guess I forgot about that too,” you mumbled, sliding your legs from under Frisk and close to your chest. Your arms wrap around them, frightened and unsure as to what was occurring around you.

“Are you scared?” Frisk asked, walking over to your knees. He rests his hands on them, his face squished into the space between your knees. You duck your head down, feeling insecure and nervous. You could hear the skeleton’s low laughter as Frisk tried to inch deeper to see your face. With open eyes you stared at him, not knowing what to say. “Don’t be scared. We’re here to help you!” he tried to reassure you. You break the eye contact, silent and deep in thought. You kept trying to dig for memories. 

“I f-found it!” the reptilian bellows out, her tiny footsteps able to be heard. They got closer and eventually halted, the sound of metal clanking startling you. “Is i-it okay if I ask a-about this device?”

“she doesn’t seem to recall,” the skeleton answered her question. 

“Oh… is t-that it? Bummer… it’s a-ahead and beyond even o-our own reaches, the science behind it. I don’t know h-how it works or how to t-turn it on… b-but well… guess I’ll be experimenting,” she concluded, somewhat disappointed. 

“or we can wait ‘till her memories come running back.”

“Yes! W-we could!” she pipes up, no longer down. When you lift your head you see the reptilian give you a sheepish glance, waving a hand at you. You wave back, albeit very slowly. “Are you okay n-now? When we found you… you were… oh my gosh, in such a b-bad shape,” she explained, peaking your curiosity. Your face looked more alive, your mind switching gears.

“Where? How? Why? When?” you blurt out, the yellow monster growing anxious. Frisk squeezes his head out from between your knees, glancing at his skeletal friend. “I need to know! I… um,” you stop, feeling embarrassed and withdrawn. “Sorry, it’s all um. New to me.”

“N-no, it’s okay!” She hands you a pocket watch. It looked scratched, dented, and with a broken lid. “We t-think this belongs to-t-to you.” You study the watch, hoping memories would come flooding in. But what else did you expect? Nothing. No memories returned and it only disappointed you more. 

You grab the watch anyway, feeling its every groove and dent with both of your soft hands. Opening the screeching lid revealed a futuristic device. It was split into thirds. One had a single crystal gem that felt smooth to the touch, the other contained a smudged gauge, and the third was a cracked crystal glass that contained the image of an orange heart. 

“We d-don’t know how it works or how to f-fix it… we’ve tried, b-but,” she stops, one of her claws over her lips as she seemed to recall unpleasant memories. Frisk hops off the examining table, scurrying around it.

“…but it would release a pulsating wave that rejected us,” the skeleton finished for her, his eyes keeping track of Frisk’s location. Your eyes pry away from the watch, “also noticed you had wounds. we fixed you up while at it,” he noted. You give him a dumbfounded look, another thing about you that you don’t remember at all. Since when did you get wounds?

“I have wounds?” you repeated, throwing your feet off the metallic table and to float over to the side. Your hands rest on your lap, a warm lap at that. What you were wearing didn’t look anything like you would wear back at home, or at least you don’t recall owning anything like this. A plain white shirt, long lab coat, and jeans that seem to be cut in order to prevent it from going past your ankles. It was ripped a little on your thighs and knees.

“I don’t remember these being mine,” you thought out loud, glancing at the skeleton and female reptile. “Thank you for these… they look very clean and smell nice.” Your nose didn’t deceive you, they smelled like lilacs and lavender. The yellow scientist blushed, accepting the thank you. 

“Well, I g-gotta go continue with m-my experiments. Can’t be too far b-behind,” she said before leaving the room. The door slides open, allowing her passage to the corridors beyond. 

The skeleton, on the other hand, extended his hand out to… something in the darkness. He flicked his fingers, which were glowing yellow, and the lights magically came on. On closer inspection you noticed a light switch in the direction his hand was pointing, a yellow glow faintly seen on it.

“You… can do magic?” you muttered, shocked. He nods, grunting out a noise of approval. “This isn’t a dream, is it?”

Frisk quickly approaches, hands up in the air and filled with laughter. Behind him was a white dog, its fur velvet soft and fluffy. It began to bark, causing the atmosphere of the room to be that of joy and fun. They chased each other around the table you were perching on, your legs grazed by their energetic bodies every so often.

“I don’t know what to say or do… it’s… weird. To wake up with no memory, kind of like amnesia, is very weird. Bet I didn’t expect to live through something like this… much less with, um, anybody other than humans like myself,” you begin a conversation with the skeleton. He seemed reluctant to speak, his eyes following Frisk’s body. “So… thank you. For helping me. I’m guessing you, Frisk, and your other friend helped me while I was unconscious?”

He sighed, closing his eyes before meeting your gaze a second later. “can’t say it’s normal. we don’t usually see magical gals makin' such a flashy entrance into the underground. practically lit up the place like a damn falling star.” The dog finally reaches Frisk, pinning the child down on to the ground before proceeding to lick their face senseless. The skeleton took a seat beside you, leaning slightly forward with his elbows resting on his knees. 

“Is it okay if I, um, ask about… how I got here?” you start off with one question, recalling how they refused to answer your questions when jumbled together. He gave you a smug look before staring into the floor.

“it all started when the kid over there decided to take a walk with a good comrade of mine. i wasn’t very chipper at the thought, knowin’ how she tends to be rough on frisk, so i let my brother accompany them as my... secret guard. wasn’t the best, but he was my brother. i could trust him.” He pauses, levitating the dog off of Frisk’s body, who was covered in slob and fur that’s been shed. He sneezed, startling the dog. “by the way, that’s l.d. short for lesser dog. kind of a pain to utter out the whole thing really,” he admits while levitating L.D. off Frisk once more, who was whining for attention. 

“but, anyway… you see, the kid is special. he just… knows things. things i wouldn’t imagine. that day was no different and insisted on going to the outskirts of the town, or snowdin’ since you wouldn’t know. and guess what? you were there.” Frisk was trying to rid himself of the white fur, L.D. wagging his tail at rocket speed as he waited for Frisk’s attention.

“Frisk and two others found me?” you shorten the story. “Thank you… or I mean, I’ll tell them thank you when I have the chance.” He stands back up, stretching and cracking a few bones here and there. You cringed at the sounds, feeling as if they would hurt… but he’s a skeleton monster thing. Rules wouldn’t apply to him, would they?

“yea, go right ahead. i ain’t stopping you.” You leap out of the table, only to yelp at the sharp stings of pain. They were from all over your body, making you stand there with your hands holding firmly to the side of your abdomen. That’s when you noticed wrappings around your belly, covering whatever injury you had on its side. The same could be said for your arms and legs, bandages dotting your body. If it weren’t for the lab coat, then your arms would be proof that you went through a rough fight. “did i mention we patched you up?” he asked, unable to remember. 

“Yes, yes you guys did,” you breathe out. “Didn’t think it was true until now.” Your fingers gingerly trace the bandages, the memories still unable to be returned despite all the questions left unanswered. “Did they, as in your friends, tell you how I got there?” He pondered for a bit, his hand scratching the side of his skull.

“they said that you just… popped right into existence. one sec’ you weren’t there, the next a bright flash of light blinds the whole damn town. you were there, a bloody mess.” You try to imagine the situation. Whoever his friends were, along with Frisk, were taking a stroll and suddenly come across a bright flash of light. Replacing the light was your body, scratched and bruised. Apparently bloody as well. 

“S-Sans?” the reptilian’s voice reached your ears, her small body appearing a few seconds later. Her glasses were sliding down, a large notebook in hand. “Is it o-okay if you show her around? I u-um… Undyne is v-visiting-”

“yea, got it,” he interjects, snapping his fingers to catch the dog’s attention. L.D. rushes to his master’s aid, pressing his heavy body against his legs. “hit me up when you need anythin’, got it?” He walked off, giving her a thumbs up while doing so. Frisk rushed to the skeleton, called Sans maybe, and immediately held his hand. You followed, assuming that she wanted some time alone with whoever the friend was. You’ve heard the name several times now and you’re curious to know who it is.

“let’s go pay paps a visit, eh?” he bends down to ruffle Frisk’s hair, who nodded approvingly. “and you.” You take a look around, making sure he wasn’t talking to anyone else. “hey, you, yes, you,” he repeated until you understood that he was talking to you. “let me show ya’ around. don’t want you gettin’ lost and use them flashy powers again.” 

The walk out of the laboratory was an awkward one. While you were getting acquainted with Frisk and Sans, L.D. seemed to constantly sniff at you every few seconds. Sans noticed this and tried to shoo him away from you, but he would return the next minute. It took an hour or so until he got satisfied, running around your group and barking happily at Frisk’s giggles.

Both Frisk and Sans showed you around… the underground? The laboratory you first awoke in was in a place called Hotlands, where the searing heat easily made you grow dizzy. Its brown dirt easily smudged your pristine white shoes, which made you pout at how noticeable it was when you all transitioned over to Waterfall. The name was rather redundant, literal waterfalls and streams of water at every corner and room of the place. However, it was gorgeous. 

Sans had lifted Frisk to his shoulders, who was pointing at every gem he deemed worthy of being given a name. L.D. had calmed down since the beginning of the walk, no longer circling or barking at any of you. Sans was casually explaining the locations and their features to you. One of them included the echo flower, which both the child and dog took full advantage of by screaming and yelling nonsense at them. They giggled and barked out in laughter when the flowers repeated the same voices back. You couldn’t help but smile at them, enjoying the sight.

“If this is the underground… then how did I get here? You said that monsters were sealed down here, away from the humans, but then… how did I get here?” you asked him in mid-jump, crossing the quick waters from a waterfall. You succeeded, yet nearly fell at the last step. He turned early enough to see you recover with flailing arms, making him snicker.

“beats me. dunno why you decided to go here… now it’s gonna be a pain to try to return you back home-”

“Oh look!” Frisk interrupts, tugging at his white collar and pointing at a brightly-shining gem in the ceiling. It was iridescent, a plethora of colors glimmering from it. “It’s so beautiful! Like you, _____!” he says, complimenting you. You blush, looking down at the ground and kicking a pebble.

“Aw, don’t say that. I’m ordinary looking,” you replied, only for L.D. to nuzzle behind your knee. He seemed to disagree with you, his black beads for eyes staring at you. For the first time your hands reach down to its fur, tempted. He closes the distance, but… oh, he stood up. A dog just stood up. You gasp, quickly retreating at the discovery. “Oh my god you can stand. But you’re a dog,” you say, baffled. L.D. gave you a firm hug, ignoring your sudden retreat.

“well he ain’t your human dog, now is he?” Sans reminded you. You struggled to free yourself, the hug having squished all the air out of you. L.D. seemed to be oblivious to your struggles, snuggling while keeping you in a tight embrace. It wasn’t until your face was turning blue that Sans intervened. “hey, cut her some slack, you can hug her all you want when we’re done,” he sternly spoke to the dog, whose happy-go-lucky expression faded. He dropped you, falling on all fours once again. He trotted behind the skeleton, who had begun walking while you were sprawled on the ground gasping for air.

“We’re here!” Frisk hollers out to you. Once you had recovered you jolt up to your feet. The rest of the trip wasn’t devoid of surprises. You all explored the caverns and got to talk a little bit about their residents. Undyne’s house was located in Waterfall, but as expected she was not home. 

Leaving Waterfall opened a trail to Snowdin, a town where Frisk was itching to get to. From the conversations you’ve had with the trio you understood that monsters weren’t really too different from humans. You understood them very well, which should have been a barrier to begin with. They also seem to live in houses, have appliances, have school and education, jobs, currency, and a plethora of things that were no different from humans. Appearances set you apart from these individuals. That didn’t surprise you, however. History has proved that your species was notorious for singling out those who looked oddly different. 

Frisk had finally taken enough, his impatience getting the best of him. He slid out of Sans’ grasp and leaped off of him, landing on a rough patch of snow. L.D. picked up on his boundless energy, his own returning somehow. The two made a dash towards the town ahead, laughing in glee. 

You were left behind along with Sans, who had his hands in his pant pockets whilst his eyes looked over the horizon. His breaths made small clouds of vapor, reminding you of your own.

“I’m probably getting annoying with all my questions. I know I asked a lot during our walk here.”

“you got that right,” he agreed. You stop to ponder about what you were about to ask, not wanting to annoy him any longer. He had answered dozens of questions, more than you can count. He’s explained to you about Frisk and how he got here, L.D., the royal guards, Alphys (turns out to be the nervous reptilian), the king and queen of the underground, the locations, and so on. At one point he even began talking about his origins, but quickly changed the subject.

“spit it out already,” he interrupts your train of thought, making you halt in your tracks. He turns, giving you a sluggish look. “don’t got all day… what were you gonna ask?” You hesitate, embarrassed and nervous. How did he know you were going to ask another question? Did you make it obvious? Were you giving hints and you didn’t even realize it? You panicked, vigorously trying to put words together in order to make a question that wasn’t as common knowledge to him as the others.

“Uh… um… I had it but… I lost it?” you say nervously, trying to buy time. He gives you a genuine smile, looking out into the river beside the two of you as you think. You could ask for the age of everybody you’ve met so far. You could ask about how monsters got down here. You could ask about how school works with monsters. You could have a lot of questions… you got it. You have a question that you need the answer to. 

“I got it,” you begin, catching his attention. “Why do you think it will be difficult for me to return back to my family?” This made his expression grow somber, worrying you. He was reluctant to answer, continuing the walk towards his house. You followed, waiting for his response. From the looks of it… it might not be a good one.

“we don’t know much about the barrier really. to be blunt… only way to get through it is by gettin' past our king and some other… junk. but… that’s the thing.” He looks at you from the corner of his eye, his eye socket nearly closed. “are you capable of stealin’ an innocent’s life to get back home?”

You grew bewildered. “Steal? You mean… kill? As in, kill kill?” you repeat. A lump formed on your throat at this realization, making your eyes feel heavy. So this is what he meant by difficult. “Then there’s no other way? Anything? If that’s the only way… I can’t return home then,” your voice drips with sadness, your chest clenching at the thought. Sans looks mildly surprised. 

You lift your hands to your chest, misery creeping into your mind. To know you wake up with no memory and with no means of returning home? It sounds as if it could be a dream, a story, a movie… but no. It was real. This was really happening. These bandages and stings of pain were enough to prove to you that you were definitely here. It would be a waste of time to pinch yourself awake.

“hey now, don’t go all broodin’ on me. we’ll figure the stuff out,” he replied in response to your mood, slowing down in order for your small feet to catch up with his. “’sides, we got alphys trying to figure out the barrier. we can’t go wrong there, alright?”

You nod, sniffling and unable to gaze up. He was a step ahead of you, which allowed you to keep going forward with your head hanging low as your eyes kept track of his direction. He tried to comfort you on your way to his house, but it wasn’t working to his favor.

The sounds of cheering and laughter catch your attention, making your head rise up. “Am I a bother to you?” you suddenly asked, your hands rubbing against your arms to keep warm. He looked appalled. “I ask because, well, I don’t know… actually sorry, I don’t know. Guess the thought of maybe not returning home is kind of sad. And even then it might take a while for you guys to figure out.” He stops in front of a wooden house, prompting you to stop with him. “But… at least it gives me time to try to gather my memories up, right? Hopefully I can at least do that. Also sad that I can’t remember anything.”

“at least you got your name figured out,” he points out, his hand gently falling on to the doorknob in front. This appears to be his house. Or his and his brother’s, but you have yet to meet him. His name is Papyrus and, knowing how tall Sans was compared to you, Papyrus sounds as if he could tower over you. You barely reached Sans’ collarbone and he made you feel short enough.

“That’s true. Thanks for trying to cheer me up though,” you mumbled, forcing out a smile. He returns a weak smile before quickly opening the door. 

“Look Uncle Papyrus! It’s _____! Isn’t she pretty?” Frisk’s voice stood out from the mess of noises inside. 

“OH? IS THAT HUMAN THE ONE YOU’VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL ME ABOUT?” a different, even louder voice spoke up. You couldn’t tell who it was yet. Sans stepped aside, giving you space to walk through the door in order to get inside. 

“hey bro, got ya’ another visitor.”

“I CAN SEE THAT,” he apathetically told his brother.


	41. “being serious here. you might stay here ‘till we find a way to return ya’ home.”

“WHY ARE YOU SO SHY, HUMAN? AM I TOO MENACING FOR THE LIKES OF YOU?” Papyrus asked. He was picking up Frisk’s toys off the floor, an eventual monologue here and there about how Sans didn’t seem to care about the hygiene of the place. Frisk was running wild with L.D., still, all over the house. Neither of the skeletons seem to mind, albeit you seem to let it set you on edge. If it were your home, you wouldn’t be letting a child go on a rampage with a dog who was leaving dirty paw prints all over the place. Then again this wasn’t your house.

“Oh, am I? Haha,” you force out, flustered. He looked menacing. His height was ridiculous, in your tippy-toes you managed to get to his diaphragm, or at least where it would be located at. You forgot they don’t have such organs. “Just… I get nervous with new people,” you squeak out, picking up a dirty teddy bear from near you. He gave out a small chuckle, releasing the pile of toys he’s collected into a toy box. Doodles had been crayoned on its surface, some recognizable while others done in a rushed manner. 

“YOU REMIND ME OF MY COMRADE ALPHYS, MINUS THE ANXIETY ATTACKS AND STUTTERING,” he said, picking up a duster from his pocket and taking a good look over the bookshelf. He growled when he found one spot dominated by dust and spiders, his hands aggressively tangling the mess in the duster. “BETTER THAN MY INDOLENT BROTHER! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN HE WOULD PULL OFF SUCH LACKING PERFORMANCES WITH HOUSEKEEPING!” 

“Maybe I can help?” you raise your voice a bit higher. When he finished dusting the book shelves he gave you a hopeful look, relieved. “I know how to do some chores… like um… dishes, dusting, vacuuming, swiping the floors, washing clothes, and other things. I might not be the best cook though. I can bake very good, but I’ve burned stuff… not that I’m bad, no! I just… um… yeah,” you trail off, not wanting to make more of a fool of yourself. 

“DON’T BE FRIGHTENED BY EITHER ME OR MY BROTHER,” he begins, kneeling down in front of you. “WHILE I DO ADMIRE YOUR NEED TO BE OF HELP TO US, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT THERE IS NO NEED. I, PAPYRUS, WILL DO MY BEST TO PLEASE MY GUEST AT ALL COSTS,” he finishes with pride, his fist shakily raising up as he seems to daydream. “WE MUST BE GOOD ROLE MODELS TO OUR FRISK, WE MUST!”

“But if you need help, I’m here,” you offer yet again, not wanting to be a burden. He places his large hand on your shoulder, making you feel like a midget in comparison to his wide shoulders and gigantic skull. Unlike Sans, whose right eye socket was open yet empty, Papyrus’ right eye socket was always closed. The two of them had some sort of crack in that same, useless socket that crawls up their skull. 

“Uncle!” Frisk’s tiny voice could be heard from a distance downstairs. Papyrus erects himself, dusting his clothes in preparation for seeing his beloved child. “L.D. broke the vase!”

“W-WHAAT?! THE DOG DID WHAT?!” he yelled and shot out of the room like a rocket, frustrated from the thought of a broken vase. A slight flash broke your vision; your ears slowly being dominated by the sound of ringing. Vase. It reminded you of something…

 

*****

 

“Isn’t Papyrus super amazing?!”

“He looks cool, so I can say that yeah. He even offered his room for me, although I wouldn’t know why since he didn’t look so excited when he met me, but it’s better than nothing… I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize uh… yeah, I’m clumsy, sorry about that too.”

“Good thing I was here to save the day, MWEHEHEHEHEHE!”

-a vase shatters-

“Oh my god I just broke a vase-”

“I think I can fix it! Alphystaughtmehowtofixvasesyesterday-”

“Are you sure Sans? I dunno, this looks like an expensive vase and all-”

“I read that glue and duct tape can solve this problem in a jiffy but-”

“What will Asgore say?!? Oh this probably costed a fortune I need to apologize-”

 

*****

 

A skeletal hand waved across your vision, trying to return you to your senses. This snaps you back to reality, your hands snatching the sweater of whoever was in front of you. You held them close and try to stare at their eye sockets, shocked yet overjoyed with the first glimpse into what might be a memory.

“uh. yea, you want-”

“I think I remembered something!” you blurt out, your pupils unable to stay still. He looked startled, his arms raised as if he didn’t want to lay a hand on you. “Oh, uh, sorry but… it’s just… I think a memory flashed by and I guess I couldn’t help it,” you shyly grin, letting go and retreating a few steps back. Sans fixed his sweater, sliding his hands over it to get rid of any wrinkles. 

“tell me ‘bout it,” he said. You bite your lower lip, trying to prevent yourself from grinning from ear to ear. It was oddly satisfying to get a memory out of all the depressing thoughts you’ve been having. While you tried to remember the flashback, making hand signs and waves with your hands, Sans snatched himself a nearby chair for him to sit on. He let an arm rest above his energetic leg, which was softly thumping the ground. The other arm’s elbow rested on his other knee with its hand holding his chin.

“Okay.” You breathe in and out, ready to explain what you’ve seen. “It’s hard to explain, but from what I remember, I couldn’t see anything… it was just a random memory? Or something involving voices. It was my voice, or so I recognized, and some other voice… a voice that belonged to you? But it didn’t sound like you at all! I called him Sans, but he sounded so… chirpy and happy and with a high-pitched voice. It was weird,” you describe, hands always in motion. Sans’ gaze never broke, listening intently and with a leg that wouldn’t stop thumping on the ground.

“I think the reason I remembered was because of the vase. Right after Papyrus rushed down to the broken vase the memory started. And the memory consisted of me breaking a vase-”

“hold up,” he barges in, lifting a finger from the hand holding his chin. “hard to believe you when you’re tryin’ to say you met a sans nothin’ like me.” He stops and concentrates on whatever was in his mind, his fingers tapping against his jaw. You watched, waiting for him to say anything else before you continued. “well shit.”

“What is it?” you asked, worried. “I know it sounds weird… and maybe it wasn’t a memory at all. What if it was just a memory of a dream? Because you’re probably right,” you rethink your idea. Hearing him say it makes you believe that what you remembered might be nothing but a figment of your imagination. A different Sans? Preposterous.

“hey. ever heard of resets? know what they are?” he suddenly questioned, making you grow confused. You shake your head, the word foreign to you. He looked defeated.

He shook his head and stood up, leaving the chair in its spot. You promptly place it back where it belonged, making him chuckle. “bro wasn’t kiddin’ around when he said he found my replacement,” he mentioned, making your ears perk up. 

“What do you mean?” You follow Sans out of Papyrus and Frisk’s room and down the stairs. He took his time down the steps, which felt like forever for you. Down below Frisk was hypnotized by the television, sounds of quirky characters and explosions heard from where you stand. L.D. was curled beside him, exhausted from the day’s runs. 

Papyrus was cleaning the mess the kid made, careful not to leave any shards on the ground. “SANS, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? DID I NOT TELL YOU TO WATCH THE FOOD? BECAUSE I DID. AND IT BURNED. AND NOW FRISK AND _____ HAVE NOTHING TO EAT,” he complained with a professional voice, vigorously prying the shards off the floor and into the garbage can beside him. “AND ____, I APOLOGIZE FOR MY BROTHER’S BAD MANNERS. USUALLY HE ONLY LETS A SMALL PORTION OF THE FOOD BURN…. BUT NO. HE’S GETTING WORSE,” he kept going on. 

“here we go.”

“WHAT MUST I DO IN ORDER TO KEEP THIS HOUSE IN ORDER? ISN’T A CHILD AND A MUTT ENOUGH?” He firmly grips the trash bag, marching his way out of the house in order to throw it away. Frisk’s eyes were still glued to the television, the occasional grunt and laugh escaping. 

“gotta love my bro,” Sans mutters, continuing his way down the stairs. L.D.’s ears perk up when his feet finally land on the first floor. It wasn’t until you reached the same floor that the dog shoots up, his tail wagging in anticipation. “mind stayin’ here?”

“No I don’t mind,” you replied. He dashes past Frisk, not wanting to distract him from his television series. It’s a relief to see Frisk calm after an active day. 

“being serious here. you might stay here ‘till we find a way to return ya’ home,” he adds, entering the kitchen. You also dash past Frisk, not wanting for his concentration to be broken and wreak more havoc. You reach the kitchen and gasp at the sight of the sink, its height the first thing you notice upon entering the room. “…so?” he says, trying to bring you back to the conversation, his hand going in circles.

“No, I don’t mind. Better than going somewhere else with people I haven’t met. I already like you all!” you admit, cheerful. You were really happy about it, staying with a child and their dog. At first glance these skeletons were menacing-looking, but since you had the amazing chance of meeting them… they seem very warm and welcoming. 

“hm.” Sans’ only pupil glows yellow, his hand following right after. You watch in wonder, not used to seeing magic… or at least you don’t remember witnessing it. He extends his arm towards the fridge, but before he did anything else, he stopped. The glow disappeared and his arm fell back to his side. “nah. it’s a work out.”

You giggled, enjoying his slothful ways. Instead of letting him try again you open the fridge and cabinets, rummaging for anything you could attempt to eat. Surprisingly, the choice wasn’t hard. You thought that, being in the underground and all, their food articles would be drastically different from your own. Oh were you wrong. A lot of it seemed eerily similar. 

One thing you can definitely make out from what you’ve seen is their love for junk food. Chips, cookies, marshmallows, burgers, microwaved patties, lack of vegetables, chocolates, some more chips, some more chocolate bars… it’s just junk food heaven. Hidden deep in one cabinet was a pile of vegetables with Papyrus' scribbles covering them. "EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!" they would say, but you assume nobody seems to listen to that advice. 

Although your stomach didn’t seem up for any of it right now. The only thing you snatched up was a dented can of peaches. Or you thought it was peaches. You’re sure it’s peaches.

“Are these peaches?” you blurted out. You turn to face Sans, who was staring at Frisk. 

“i dunno.”

“Oh well… I’ll eat them anyway I guess. Only thing I kind of crave really.” You proceed to look for whatever looks like a can opener throughout their kitchen. 

And, well, the rest of the afternoon flies by fairly quickly. 

Frisk is a joy to spend time with, especially with their non-stop chatting that constantly fills up your need for knowledge. He even throws in random facts that are completely unnecessary. Did you ever want to know about how Papyrus has trouble getting a date? Well now you do. Did you ever want to know how Papyrus tried to get Sans to wear trousers or any sort of undergarments? Well, now you did. Did you ever want to know about how L.D. ruined Sans’ attempt at cooking for the first time and nearly catching the house on fire? Well… now you did. You knew plenty of random facts.

L.D. was a dog whose energy knew no bounds. Throughout your time spent with Frisk on the couch, L.D. would snuggle up to you and poke you with his muzzle. Ignore him for a few seconds and his muzzle creeps higher and higher… and higher… and then it reached your own nose and you can’t help but let out a laugh and begin scratching him again. He was a riot.

Then you popped out a question amidst Frisk’s story. “Do you ever think about wanting to return home?”

His eyes refuse to break with yours, the same joy from before being present. It’s as if the question didn’t baffle him or faze him. “Nope! I like it here with my uncles,” he responded, hugging L.D.’s wagging tail. The dog retreats, staring at his tail as if it were a foreign body part. “What about you? You’re staying here with us, right? I always wanted an aunt!” Your body drops in temperature, hands reaching for one another as you break away from his stare. He gleefully awaited your response, expecting you to respond back with a “of course I am.” But you’re not. You wanted to return home… where ever that was. You don’t remember how to get there, how you got here, who these people and monsters really are… and what this place really is. 

“Frisk, I… I want to return back home,” you break it to him, making him frown immediately. “But, no, don’t worry!” you say soon after, trying to cheer him up. “I can visit down here after the barrier breaks, right? That means that we can visit!” That manages to do the trick. He’s back up to his cheerful self, that cute smile planted on his face. 

L.D. dashes towards the entrance, standing on his hind legs and peeking out the door’s window. Frankly you were baffled he did that knowing there’s a window right beside the door that reveals the view outside. A large square window. 

Those moments of irony keep appearing as the days scroll by. Yes, you decided to settle down with the skeleton brothers and their “child” of sorts? They have, apparently, adopted Frisk as their own. However, Frisk appears to call Toriel his mother, which made you constantly wonder who she was. Pictures demonstrated her as an elegant and motherly-looking individual. She reminded you of goats though. 

Could you call her goat mother?

Other than getting to know Frisk, Sans, and Papyrus, you also had your moments of depression. They were fairly common, but you made sure not to get them involved. While you admired how they attempted to save you from the depths of anxiety and solitude, the fact that you didn’t have the power to simply walk your way home was enough to throw you back down in a depressive spiral. You were aware you could simply make your way to the King, but in order to get through you would have to force yourself to commit atrocities, or so you were told. You were also quite terrified. A coward of sorts. In addition, there were no other moments where you recalled your lost memories. “The vase,” as you call that memory, was the only eventful thing to happen since you awoke in this… underground.

Despite Papyrus nudging you away from chores, you still did as many tasks as you could. You dusted rooms, swiped the floors clean, left the dishes spotless, gave both L.D. and Frisk showers, gave Papyrus rest at times by cooking some of your own meals, albeit horrible sometimes, and even forced yourself to go through history books and articles in order to learn more about the world around you. If you’re staying here, possibly forever, you might as well get to understanding their history.

Little by little the depression was being shaved away, although that didn’t mean you didn’t have your moments of happiness. While you rarely left the house in fear of the unknown or the townspeople who didn’t seem to give you the best of treatment, Papyrus and Frisk were open to suggestions as to what you would prefer to do for the day. Sometimes they were so open to your ideas that they were willing to kayak down the icy river of Snowdin if that is what you preferred.

You said no to that offer of course.

You got acquainted with Sans the moment you woke up in this place, along with Alphys, and saw him every minute the first two days. However, he suddenly becomes more a ghostly figure as your questions to him subsided. He rarely remained at home, liked to apparently spend his days at Grillby’s or the laboratory, and always carried cigars with him at all times. Frisk, while present every day, spent most of his days with other individuals such as Undyne and Mettaton. The only one you see every day, for the majority of the day, was Papyrus. As a result you grew rather attached to him.

But one thing bothered you as the days passed on. The pocket watch.

There were moments that flashes of images hit you whenever you attempted to turn on the device. They were memories waiting to be uncovered, but these images would fly by your mind too fast for you to get a good look on. They blurred past you, refusing to be discovered by your prying curiosity. This only added to your depression, the depression that, at times, would take over completely and make you a sobbing mess. Papyrus easily cooed you out of your mental state, which only added to how dependent you were becoming to these monsters. 

It was bittersweet, to think that your new home might be underground with these individuals. They weren’t bad, not at all. They were actually very kind and sincere to you. Fairly perfect, if you wanted to be honest with yourself. Frisk was eerily similar to your little brother, always looking up to you and never leaving you unless you were content. At times you would sometimes get annoyed with how persistent he was, but this only made you realize that, well, he really depended on you as much as you did to him. He was the only thing reminding you that you were still human, and that you weren’t the only human down here.

Oh, Papyrus. He was… a giant walking teddy bear. He was quite strict, and constantly hollering and yelling, and it didn’t take long for him to grow comfortable around you and show you his true colors. He would criticize on your cooking skills and constantly drown you with advice and suggestions that could make it better. It wasn’t your fault you weren’t more a chef like he was. However, he also was kind and patient with you. He always wanted you to be happy and comfortable in his house, which also meant that he was constantly checking in on you to make sure you weren’t suffering a heart attack.

Then there was Sans. At first you saw him around quite often, bumping into him throughout the days and prompting a conversation to start. He was brutally honest at times, lethargic, and happens to work several different jobs. This might account for how absent he later turns out to be whenever he reveals that you don’t need a tough guardian angel to look out for you… also because Papyrus was forcing him to grow acquainted with you. As a result of his rare appearances you couldn’t get any closer to him as you were the first day you met him, which made you feel curious as to who he really was. The more you thought about him and his tiny details, the more mystery would shroud around his name.

Every day you were learning something new, helping Papyrus or Sans with small things, playing with Frisk and the occasional visit of L.D., and suddenly you were introduced to the news. Not even a week into this world and you asked to learn about any news report you could find in order to get a better sense of what was happening down here. 

It wasn’t what you expected. The situation down here was actually very grim. There were disappearances throughout the underground, unknown phenomena occurring everywhere, and unexplained events and deaths. When Frisk stumbled upon you watching the news, you immediately switched the channels and lied to him about what you were learning.

You didn’t want him to know the reality of the world around. He was… innocent. Perfect. Young. 

A month had passed, sadly, and nothing memorable has occurred yet. No new memories, no insights on the barrier, or clues as to what the pocket watch may be. But today was a special day. It was going to be the day that the household would introduce you to the Dreemurs. The king and queen of the monsters. 

“I don’t have many clothes to wear,” you sadly stated, looking at the three shirts, two pants, and one pair of shoes you owned. It was your fault that you didn’t have anything to wear, after all, you were a human. Humans normally don’t fall here at great rates to prompt monsters to have a clothing line just for you, or Frisk. Frisk was small enough to be able to wear anything he wanted, although Papyrus washed his clothes every night. This allowed the child to have the same exact outfit everywhere he went. 

You, on the other hand… well, you were a young adult. It’s difficult to find something that fits you, especially with your figure. However, at least the only clothing article you did find happened to look decent. It was a button up, gray and white, plaid shirt. You refused to tuck them under the neat-looking dark gray jogger pants. 

“MUST I REMIND YOU HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND YOU A DECENT SHIRT OR PANTS? NOT TO MENTION HOW PICKY YOU HAPPEN TO BE?!? YOU DON’T LIKE WEARING THESE OUTSTANDING-” he picks up his wide jacket, “-JACKETS OR-” he picks up Sans’ own jacket, to which Frisk was clinging to, “-SANS’ OWN JACKET.”

“But it’s because they’re so big on me-”

“You look so cute in them!” Frisk chirps out, giggling in response to Sans trying to pry him off his jacket.

“Thank you,” you sweetly respond, smiling back at the child. “But… um… at least I found these things. Sorry about that.” Papyrus sighs out, his hand softly sliding down his face.

“WHAT WILL I EVER DO WITH YOU, _____? MUST WE GO ON ANOTHER TRIP TO THE STORES TO FIND ANYTHING THAT SUITS YOUR TASTES? WILL THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY?”

“Oh no! These are fine!” you insist. Papyrus opens up his closet, pointing at it afterwards. “Yes, even if you have dozens of the same jackets and shirts, I still think I can handle washing my stuff over and over again.”

He gasps out. “OH, WHY MUST YOU INSIST ON TRYING TO BE CONTENTED WITH US? WE ARE ONLY TRYING TO GIVE YOU THE BEST OF WHAT WE CAN OFFER,” he states, closing the closet door. Frisk finally lets go of Sans’ jacket, allowing the older brother to easily slip it back on. “I DON’T EVER WONDER HOW YOU MUST FEEL TO ONLY HAVE THREE SHIRTS AND TWO PANTS… SIX DIFFERENT OUTFITS-”

“I want to go see ma and pa!” Frisk interrupts, jumping and wanting to be held by the taller of the two skeletons. Papyrus falls for his antics, lifting him up and happily satisfying Frisk’s childish wants. 

“WORRY NOT FRISK, WE WILL PROCEED THERE SHORTLY.”

“heh, when the dawn’s ass crack app-”

“SANS, MY BROTHER! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE DISCUSSED ABOUT THAT FOUL LANGUAGE AROUND FRISK?” he calmly reminded his older, yet smaller, brother, who was feeling smug and gave him a complacent smile. “NO, STOP THAT. THERE IS NO NEED TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT AND YOU KNOW IT,” he continued, taking a step towards him. You slide your feet snugly into your slip-on shoes and snatch up Papyrus’ scarf, which had been cut in half in order to make up for how short and small you were compared to Papyrus.

“I’m ready. I’ll wear this,” you mumble out, although the conversation was loud enough to drown your words under their mess of voices.

“What’s an ass crack uncle Papyrus?”

“LOOK AT HIS INNOCENCE BEING DRAINED AWAY. BEHOLD!” he commands, extending out his arms with Frisk in his hands, who was smiling eagerly.

“kid’s gotta man up eventually, just makin’ it easier for you.”

“Ass crack.”

“OH NO, FRISK, DON’T LISTEN TO SANS, HE’S NOT BEING A GOOD UNCLE RIGHT NOW. THOSE ARE BAD WORDS, AND BAD WORDS SHOULDN’T BE SAID!” he panicked, gently placing Frisk back down. “NOW REPEAT WITH ME HUMAN, I WILL NOT SAY FILTHY WORDS.” Frisk does as he is told, singing out his sentence. “GOOD. NOW, YOU,” he glares at his brother, who was beginning to make his way out of Papyrus’ room. “WHEN WE COME BACK FROM OUR VISIT TO THE KING AND QUEEN WE WILL DISCUSS THE MANY WAYS TO CLEANSE OURSELVES OF OUR FOUL TENDENCIES. WE MUST. AFTER ALL,” he stops to glance your way, only to stop at the sight of your choice of clothes. “OH NO! NOT ONLY HAVE YOU PLAGUED FRISK’S LIFE WITH CURSE WORDS, BUT YOU HAVE ALSO INSTILLED _____ WITH A BAD SENSE IN FASHION!” 

“you know you can’t have enough of me around bro,” Sans spoke out, leaving the room and making his way down the stairs. “got mr. fluffs to check out, can’t keep ‘em waitin’.”

“WHILE I WOULD NORMALLY INTERJECT AND PROCLAIM HOW WRONG YOU ARE… I CAN’T. BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT.” He picks up Frisk, who happily hugged his skeletal friend in glee. You follow the pair out the room and out the house, the cold snow immediately seeping into your shoes. “LET US GO!”

“Yeah!” Frisk chimes in, excited for the events yet to come.


	42. “JEEZ, I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE JUST AS MUCH OF A STRANGE BEING AS MY BROTHER SANS… BUT MORE SINCERE.”

Frisk was the sole reason you, Papyrus, Sans, and Frisk were taking the long route to the castle. Sans could have easily ripped open a door as a shortcut into the palace, but Frisk had insisted to visit Undyne, Napstablook, and Alphys. Monster Kid too, even. However, Papyrus wasn’t as fond of his shortcuts, always having to crouch through them and believing that they were taking the joy away from walking through the underground. 

“SANS, YOU CAN’T ALWAYS RELY ON YOUR SPACE-TIME-TELEPORTATION SHENANIGANS. FRISK NEEDS EXERCISE. THE HUMAN ANATOMY BOOK SAYS SO,” Papyrus explains, holding up this aforementioned book. 

Sans lifted his brow line at the sight. “you carry that thing around?” Sans inquired. You were mildly surprised as well, never realizing he had pockets inside his own large trench coat.

“WHY YES OF COURSE. I CAN NEVER LEAVE WITHOUT THIS HANDY DANDY BOOK! IT EVEN EXPLAINS HOW THE FOOD, I SO CAREFULLY COOK, FOR THESE HUMANS GETS DIGESTED.”

“I know, it’s very interesting,” you add in, always having been interested in the human anatomy and physiology. “And how like, we have two pipe thingies, the trachea and the esophagus, and science behind hiccups, and the stomach, and oh my god I could talk about this all day,” you excite yourself, only to stop and blush when you see your friends staring at you. “Human stuff, hehe… ha… yeah.”

“YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME. TELL US MORE!” he offered you to divulge your knowledge, Sans nodding when you glance at him for an answer. “MAYBE YOU CAN CLEAR UP WHAT THESE TERMS IN MY ANATOMY BOOK MEAN, LIKE… LIKE…” he stops and pulls out the same book, skimming through its pages. “…LIKE MOST OF THESE WORDS.”

You giggle and dash up to Papyrus, excited to be of use to them in something. “Well, let me see it.” You grab the book and flip over to the beginning, mentally reading a small portion before breaking it down into words they can explain.

“Okay so, maybe it will be easier to explain the anatomy first before we go into physiology, which is well, how the organs work and all. And we’re going to start with the anatomical terms first!”

“ARE THOSE THE CORONAL AND LATERAL PLANES?”

“Oh yes!”

Yes they were. Or at least two of the plethora of terms. The beginning of the trip was filled with anatomical terms and how they relate to the human body, which was something that Frisk wasn’t entertained by. Luckily, Sans had done the honors of distracting Frisk, causing a conversation to occur in order to let you and Papyrus bond using anatomical terms and definitions.

 

\--

 

“Here, let me flip to a random page… oh look! The lungs! This is how we breathe, between.”

“LUNGS? THOSE SQUISHY PINK ORGANS ARE LUNGS? WHY ARE HUMAN ORGANS SO… ODD LOOKING? WHY ARE YOU HUMANS STRANGE? THIS IS STRANGE,” he tries to wrap his head around it, making you laugh lightly. Sans was behind you two, throwing a jolly Frisk into the air and making him feel like the luckiest child alive.

“Yeah, but it’s truly fascinating… it’s… it’s kind of one of the passions I have? I like learning about the human body since, well, humans are all the same on the inside.” You close the book, your mind no longer focused on the words inside it. “Everyone has lungs and a beating heart, not to mention intestines and a spleen and kidneys and… oh I could go on and on,” you squeal to yourself, only to calm down and blush from having let them see a peek of your true colors. “That’s why doctors exist you know, to heal us all. And… it’s something I want to be. A doctor. I wanted to study and be a good doctor one day.” Like your father. He was quite the excellent doctor. Not only was he well-known for his dramatic entrances, but he also managed to help even the most broken of patients. It was as if... he had a gift for healing.

“JEEZ, I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE JUST AS MUCH OF A STRANGE BEING AS MY BROTHER SANS… BUT MORE SINCERE.” You accepted the compliment, handing the book to him.

“But now I’m very curious about something, which I hope you don’t think is weird but… being down here for the short time I’ve been, I always wondered if you, monsters, can like… get sick too? I’m just as curious to know about how you all work too! On the inside, I mean. If you all really as just magic, maybe I can learn about it and be able to heal just as many monsters, just like humans,” you pondered out loud. 

“THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BRILLIANT IDEA!”

“heh, good luck with that,” Sans speaks out, catching up to the two of you. Frisk was happily trotting beside him, no longer wanting to be lifted up into the air.

“Thanks, I really do need it… but it’s something I really want to do now. Besides, it’s going to be a first for a human to be able to treat monsters, right?” you made yourself grow ecstatic once more. You began to daydream, the clapping, the laughter, the line of professors just itching to get to greet you in person. It was a dream… to be in the spotlight in the world of medicine. Other doctors will bow down in your presence, dying to be in the same room as you. 

Oh it was glorious… but so weird. Why the hell were you thinking like that?

By the time you had finished talking about the process to become a doctor up in the surface, along with Frisk’s occasional question about college, Undyne’s house was now in sight.

It was shaped like a humanoid fish’s head. It sported the ponytail and eyes to match along with it and screamed out “I’m a fish” at you. And you loved it. So unique and so inviting and so weird, just your kind of thing to live out of. “Is this where Undyne lives?”

“Yes! It is!” Frisk answers, rushing up to the door to knock. 

You hesitate to follow Frisk and a smoking Sans, who were now waiting for the door to open. While you knew that Undyne would probably be just as kind and nice to you as these skeletons were, you still had your stomach up in knots. You’re meeting somebody knew and you’re nervous, nervous about making a wrong move or messing up. After all, Papyrus had been hoping for a while that you could meet Undyne and become good friends with her.

“IS SOMETHING THE MATTER? YOU DON’T LOOK CONTENT,” Papyrus asked, worried. You shake your head, forcing out a smile. But his concern easily made you drop the façade, making you frown at the thought of meeting a new individual. 

“I’m just kind of scared. Always am when I’m going to meet somebody new.”

You watch as Sans leans next to the door while Frisk knocks once more, calling out to Undyne in his childish voice. A rather adorable voice at that. “I BELIEVE IN YOU, _____. DO YOU KNOW WHY? WELL I’M SURE YOU WONDERED WHY, AND I’LL TELL YOU.” He clears his throat. “PERHAPS YOU WERE… A SECLUDED INTROVERT AT FIRST, SOMEBODY WHO HAD A DIFFICULT TIME MAKING FRIENDS.” 

“Come in!” Undyne hollered out from inside her house. Frisk swung open the door, making Sans quickly side step to avoid getting squished by the wooden obstacle, causing his cigar to fall down into the ground. You snickered at his reaction, which was that of disappointment. 

“BUT THANKS TO HAVING SUCH A GREAT TEACHER AND MENTOR, SUCH AS I, YOU HAVE LEARNED HOW TO MAKE GOOD FRIENDS. FRIENDS LIKE ME, SANS AND FRISK!” he cheers you up, making you feel a little bit more confident. At least he tried.

You roll up your sleeves and get in the right mentality, ready to tackle whatever obstacle is ahead. “Thank you, you always know how to cheer me up,” you tell your tall friend, who blushes and heads over to Undyne’s house.

“NO NEED TO THANK ME, MY PRESENCE ALONE CAN CHEER ANYBODY UP.” He stops to rub his feet against the welcome mat in front of the entrance. You copied his movements, not wanting to dirty her house’s floor. Sans didn’t bother, angering Papyrus the moment he steps inside.

“SANS! WIPE YOUR FEET BEFORE YOU ENTER.”

The smaller brother closes the door behind him, looking down at his boots. “chill out, they aren’t leaving tracks in here-”

“Hey! Come here you little punk, I’ve missed ya’!” a new voice erupts from within the house. You follow the source, eyes widening with glee at the sight of a humanoid monster hugging and lifting up Frisk. He spread out his arms and legs, pretending to fly like an airplane. He even made the airplane sounds. How cute. 

You were greeted to the sight of an interior room with a kitchen on the opposite end of you, a table with four chairs around to your right, a sword leaning against the wall to your right, a piano to your left, and a window near that same piano, which was patched up with duct tape. There were two purple rugs, one underneath the table and the other in front of the broken window. 

“UNDYNE, MY GOOD FRIEND UNDYNE! IT’S BEEN SO LONG.”

“It’s only been a week you dor-oh…” she stops and drops Frisk, who easily lands on his feet. She walks over to you and Papyrus. Sans had already made himself comfortable on one of the chairs on the table, throwing his feet and dirty boots on it. Frisk did the same, giggling in the process.

“LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO _____. _____, THIS IS UNDYNE, MY FAITHFUL FRIEND,” he introduces, a hand placed on both of your shoulders. “I HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS VERY WELL IN MY HEAD… BUT, WELL… I FORGOT. SO LET ME GO TO THE BATHROOM VERY QUICKLY TO GATHER THE SCRIPTS-”

Undyne flinches, immediately jerking her head towards the window. “Papyrus, don’t-”

He dashed and crashed against the window, this time taking the duct tape with him as he landed on the outside of the house. He turned and gave you all a thumbs up before disappearing, seemingly running back to the house. Sans sighs in the background as Frisk takes out a teacup set for them to play with.

Undyne glares at Sans, who shrugs. “You’re going to fix that, you know!”

“more duct tape, comin’ right up.” Frisk hands him a teacup sitting neatly on a plate, which contained invisible tea. 

“So, uh, take a seat,” Undyne begins, breaking the awkward silence between the two of you. You do as you’re told, sitting opposite of Sans. He glances at you as Frisk hands you a different teacup, which also contained invisible tea. “So what do you want?”

“stay where you are,” Sans mumbled at you, making you no longer want to stand up towards the fridge. “she’s a psycho willin’ to throw a spear at ya’-”

“Sans!” Undyne bellows out. “Shut your trap and let me tend to the damn guest!”

“UNDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYNE!” Papyrus’ voice startled the household, his figure opening the door gently. He closed it as well, a wrapped gift in hand. “NOT YOU TOO... WHY MUST YOU AND MY BROTHER SPIT OUT VULGARITY IN FRONT OF THE CHILD?”

“That was very fast,” you commented, making him stand tall and proud.

“I HAVE MY FAIR SHARE OF SECRETS, SECRETS THAT I AM WILLING TO TALK ABOUT.” He walks over to Undyne, handing her the gift. “BUT FIRST, THE GIFT. JUST FOR YOU.”

She grimaced, and opened one of the cabinet drawers in her kitchen, which showed a collection of different bones cradled inside. “I totally can’t figure out what it is.”

“THEN LET ME GIVE THIS TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT,” he offered, making you snicker from how oblivious poor Papyrus was being. Sans did so as well, closing his eyes as he did his best impersonation of a human drinking tea. He even lifted his damn pinky finger as he made a slurping sound.

“Is it good?” Frisk demands to know, attentive. Sans lowers the tea, leans forward, sets it down, then opens his eyes and glances at you, then at Frisk. Frisk looked nervous, not wanting his tea to be a failure.

It was intense. 

“delicious.”

“Yay!” he boasts, leaping to wrap his arms around Sans’ neck. You smile at their interactions, adoring how Sans treats Frisk as his actual child. 

Papyrus walked over to the table and took the final and fourth seat opposite of Frisk. “OH, ARE YOU HAVING TEA WITHOUT ME, FRISK?” Frisk grunted in protest, quickly pulling out another teacup and sliding it over to Papyrus, who eagerly accepted it. Meanwhile Undyne was brewing coffee, watching your table from where she stood.

You also had forgotten to respond to her question a while back.

“Um, Undyne?” you call out timidly, raising your arm to grab her attention. “Is it okay if I have water?” 

“It’s not okay if you have water,” she responded back sharply, making you flinch and look back down. Her snickering quickly stopped when she noted how serious you were being with her response. “Did you think I was being serious? Of course you can have water you dimwit, go ahead and get some,” she rose her tone to reply to you again.

“What about you Papyrus? Is there anything you want?” you asked of him. “Any of you?” You look at both Sans and Frisk, awaiting their responses.

“UNDYNE IS ALREADY MAKING TEA.”

“I want tea!”

“eh, fetch me some water too i s’pose.”

“Tea coming right up!” Undyne announced as you stood up from your seat, scanning the kitchen counters for any source of water. Like any normal human being you walk up to the fridge, only for a spear to startle you and make you yelp as it flew between you and the fridge. You stare at her in awe, not knowing how to react.

"NO!!!" She pauses and then sheepishly smiles. “That’s, a uh… hot fridge. Alphys invented it so that it can heat up food, so you won’t find any water there… unless you like boiled water, then go ahead. I won’t judge you for it.”

It took you a minute to calm down, trying to get into the mentality that she wasn’t out to kill you. “So where’s the water?” you ask shyly. She felt amused by how timid you were being as she leaned against the counter, checking every so often for the tea. 

“Um, I’ll be right back with it.” She jogged over to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. The next minute she got out with a pitcher of water in hand. Beads of sweat from how hot its environment was compared to the coolness inside fell down, trickling and leaving a trail on the ground. “Here you go.”

“Oh, thank you.” You grab two cups, after some rummaging, and serve yourself two cups of cold water. Afterwards you return to your seat, hand Sans his own cup, and sit down to ponder about life in general. 

Undyne drags a chair of her own, from her bedroom, and starts a chat with Papyrus. In the midst of it Frisk had brought up the topic of anime, which caused both Undyne and Papyrus to pipe up with glee.

“She whaaaaaaaat?!” Undyne blurted out, gaping at you. “How the hell did you do it?” she asked in response to Frisk stating you convinced Papyrus to watch anime. “Did you drag him and make him watch it? Did Alphys invent some device thing? Did you force him? Did you trick him? Did you beg? Did you… do something?”

You remain sitting there, introverted and your eyes darting all over the place as if the answers were on the walls. “I… I felt like watching anime, and wanted Papyrus to watch with us, so I asked him and, well, he did.” Undyne smirked evily, glaring at Papyrus afterwards.

“Ha… hahahaha… HA HA! I KNEW YOU WOULD BREAK EVENTUALLY PAPYRUS!” she stands up firmly, fists slamming down on to the table. “Give up! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO WATCH MORE ANIME MARATHONS WITH ME AND ALPHYS!”

Papyrus stands up as well, pushing the chair back and accidentally causing it to fall backwards. “TEE-HEE ALL YOU WANT, BUT YOU WILL NEVER DRAG THIS MIGHTY WARRIOR DOWN THE PATH OF… HUMANS WITH GIANT SWORDS AND SHINY ROBOTS WITH AMAZING BATTLE BODIES. EVEN IF… THEY HAVE CUTE ANNOYING DOGS AS COMPANIONS… OH BOY.” He stops to ponder this through, seemingly hesitating to accept her offer. She was smirking devilishly, seething with pride and confidence. Sans was still sitting down, taking another sip as Frisk demanded of him.

“_____, WHAT DO YOU THINK? GIVE ME YOUR WISDOM,” Papyrus asked of you, making you freeze where you sit. Undyne glared at you with fire in her eyes, her sharp teeth glowering down at you.

Sans kept drinking from his invisible tea along with Frisk, who had poured some of Sans’ cold water into his own, content with pretending it was fake tea. 

You gulped, hands between your thighs as you try to think of a neutral response that wouldn’t stir any argument that might arise. “I don’t know, um, eek,” you withdraw yourself, blushing from embarrassment. “How about you try out that one anime I wanted to watch next? The one with humans turning into animals? I forgot the name of it but… it looked very cute. And it had a lot of cute dogs in it too.”

“And mice and bears!” Frisk adds in, nearly spilling the water in his teacup. “_____ said it had to do with something called the zodiac signs.” You slowly ease yourself out of your shell, beginning to find something you enjoy talking about as Frisk continues on about these signs, but it doesn’t last long.

“OH, YES, I CAN WATCH THAT WITHOUT CRINGING,” Papyrus admits, pulling out his cell phone. “AND I ALSO TOOK A PICTURE OF IT FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.” Undyne was practically kneeling on the table now, close enough to get a good look at the photograph her friend was claiming he took. “SHE REMINDS ME OF YOU, UNDYNE.”

Her eyes lit up with wonder, her hands being slapped on to her cheeks. “That is so cheesy and lame.” She pauses, taking the picture in before glancing up at Papyrus. “Let’s watch it.” They continued on and on about their plans for their next visit, talking about where to buy the popcorn and when to invite Alphys over to give the anime a shot.

While they were indulging in their interests you were minding your own business. Your mind had trailed off into your past, as it usually tends to do. Seeing them interact so closely together reminded you of your own friends back at home, where their pleas for help in homework constantly reminded you that you were needed. Of course, you didn’t have many friends to begin with, never managing to use all your fingers whenever you counted. In fact, you had few you could count on, and now you’re depressing yourself thinking about how they must feel with you now gone.

Undyne leaped off the table and landed beside Papyrus, snatching the sword. She wielded it with ease, showing off her skills by twirling it around her body. “EN GARDE,” she hollered, pointing the sword at Papyrus. Caught off guard, with a Frisk who was beaming with energy as he witnessed the two friends, Papyrus picked up the chair he had just stood up from, pointing it directly at his fish friend.

“READY WHEN YOU ARE, MY FRIEND.”

“I want to join!” Frisk pleads, slumping down on to Undyne’s denim jeans. She immediately leans over to the chair Papyrus was holding, snapping one of its legs off and handing it over to Frisk to wield. Papyrus gasps at this in horror, the sharp ends of the stick being his main concern.

“OH NO, LET ME CHILD-PROOF THAT FOR YOU!”

“It’s not THAT dangerous! Let him use it,” Undyne insisted, pouting along with the child. Papyrus wasn’t deterred by this, opening one of the cabinets in Undyne’s kitchen. On closer inspection you noticed it was the drawer that contained all of Papyrus’ gifts for Undyne, which were bones. 

“PLEASE USE THIS INSTEAD,” he said as he handed the bone to Frisk, who happily accepted it. Undyne groaned, dropping her sword in the process. “NOW WE MAY START.”

“Is it okay if I go outside?” you ask, barely a whisper. They were unable to hear you over the chatter they were making, explaining to Frisk the rules of the game they were about to play, which was eerily similar to tag. 

Sans picked up the teacup sets and set them aside on one of the kitchen counters, possibly due to them belonging to Undyne, allowing Frisk to scramble on to the table to accommodate for his short stature. You make your way towards Sans, who was leaning against the counters in order to avoid getting involved in whatever game they were playing.

“For justice!” Frisk shrieks out, trying to stay in character of whatever in-game person or monster he’s trying to be. Soon they began to run around the house, giggling and cleverly dodging Frisk’s attempts, but not enough to make him think he was useless. In fact, it was obvious they would purposefully slowdown in order for Frisk to tag them. The poor child didn’t compare to the two adults, it only made sense.


	43. “FRISK, BLUSH RIGHT NOW. I MUST WITNESS IT MYSELF.”

You didn’t feel like you befriended Undyne, but both Papyrus and Frisk believe otherwise. They insist that you at least got to her soft side, especially after your adorable antics and shy tendencies. Sometimes you feel like hiding behind the world in order to forget you can be such a mess of a woman. Oh you so hope that before the memory loss you were better at socializing. 

Napstablook wasn’t home, to Frisk’s dismay. 

“I hope Alphys is home,” Frisk mumbled, clinging to Sans’ back like a lone sloth. Papyrus pulls out his phone, dialing over to the reptilian to make sure she wasn’t absent.

“WORRY NOT, I WILL FIGURE THAT OUT FOR YOU, FRISK, THIS VERY INSTANT.”

You pull out your own device, the pocket watch, and study it once more. It still refused to turn itself on, lacking an energy source of some sort. Nothing came to mind and it also seemed very… complicated to wield. To know this was yours and that you knew how to use it made you feel rather uneasy. What kind of person, or being, were you before?

“I hear a ring!” Frisk comments on Papyrus’ call, his flip-phone at full volume. “Give it to me! I want to say hi to Alphys!”

“H-hello? Um-”

“ALPHYS!” Papyrus calls out happily. Sans sets Frisk down, allowing the child to run up to Papyrus and climb up his back. The two of them proceeded to get themselves involved in a conversation whilst Sans pulls out a cigar. He turns his back on to his brother and smaller child, trying to light the match.

Looking around you revealed that you were all on the edge of entering Hotlands, where the laboratory was located. It wasn’t that far off, only a few minutes away left of walking.

From the corner of your eye you saw the pocket watch quickly flash, making you flinch. You examine it closer, trying to inspect it for anything else it might do. Unfortunately, nothing happened. Was that flash your imagination? A reflection of another light source?

The group starts to head towards the lab, not wanting to keep Alphys waiting any longer. Sans hangs in the back of the group, enjoying his own peace and quiet while Frisk occupies Papyrus’ attention with his silly antics and questions. You kept trying to figure the damn device out, but it wasn’t working out to your favor.

“_____? What does that do?” Frisk questioned you, his body resting on one of Papyrus’ wide shoulders. You shrug, defeated.

“I wish I knew. I can’t figure it out. It’s just… some sort of thing.” Frisk eyed it skeptically, his fingers gingerly rubbing the end of his chin. “What do you think?”

“Me?” Frisk hops down in order to get a closer look at it. “Looks like a cool machine thingy thing!” he states his opinion, making you giggle. “Kind of like in the movies!”

“Well yeah, don’t doubt it. Looks like a movie prop,” you admit, sighing and returning the watch back into your small pocket. You lift up Frisk, embracing the small child like a teddy bear. He returns the hug, sighing happily as he faces Sans, who was merrily smoking way in the back.

The walk was short and eventually Alphys’ laboratory was finally standing feet away from your group. Frisk couldn’t help but let out a screech of delight, ecstatic over getting to interact and play with his favorite reptilian. This was enough to catch Alphys’ attention, who looked as if she was having a panic attack the moment she opened her door. 

“ALPHYS! GREETINGS!”

“I-is everything o-okay?” she inquired, only for the child to slam right on to her.

“FRISK, MANNERS YOUNG MAN,” Papyrus scolded, yet the child ignored regardless. You and Sans cruise right in as soon as Alphys sidestepped to allow her guests in. Papyrus was the last to enter, closing the door along the way. “WE ARE DOING FANTABULOUSLY. DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS AT ALL IN UNDYNE’S HOUSE WITH _____. NEVER DID I EVER DOUBT THERE WOULD BE ANY. EVERYTHING WENT ACCORDING TO MY WELL-THOUGHT PLAN.”

“barely any meat to the plan,” Sans adds in, using Alphys as his shoulder rest. She struggled to keep herself upright, not wanting to let her friend fall down. “so anythin’ new with the core?”

She shook her hand, fiddling with her fingers. “N-not yet… n-no success e-either… I j-just can’t g-get it to w-work right,” she responds, disappointed. Sans gives her a good pat on the back, cheering her up.

“nah, just give it time alph.”

“DO NOT FRET, YOU WILL GET IT TO WORK,” Papyrus adds in, along with a chiming Frisk who repeats the same sentence. This made Alphys blush from the attention and sentiments, making her giggle and quickly turn around. “AND CAN I ADD THAT I WANT TO GREET THE WHITE LOATHSOME MUTT? WHERE IS THAT ANNOYING DOG?” 

“Me too!” Frisk pipes out.

“H-he’s… n-not here yet. He hasn’t b-been here in d-days. B-but… Sans… c-can I have a w-word with you? It’s v-very important.” She turns to the smaller skeleton, who happens to ironically be the older of the two brothers. He smirks, blowing out smoke.

“hit me with it.” The two of them walk away from the three of you, collecting distance to prevent any sort of eavesdropping. You let Frisk cling to your feet, who was surveying for any signs of the annoying dog. You assume it wasn’t L.D., but a regular dog… but if it weren’t, you wouldn’t be surprised.

The two scientists disappear behind the elevator doors, metallic chains and gears clanking to life as they’re forced into the floors above. “_____, ARE YOU EXCITED TO MEET THE KING AND QUEEN?” he starts a conversation, walking over to the desk littered with random books and notes. You follow him, interested in the unreadable books.

“Kind of… but mostly scared and nervous. I mean, it’s the king and queen. Of course I would feel scared, right? Ha… uh. I don’t know if I can pull it off,” you admit, thinking about their first impressions of you. They’ve only heard of you through word of mouth, whether through Alphys or Papyrus or Undyne. You’ve also heard Sans makes his appearances to the king and queen, but it wasn’t as common.

“RUBBISH. NONSENSE. YOU WILL DO GREAT _____. YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL IN YOU TO WOW OUR ROYALTY,” he expresses his opinion, giving you a wide grin. “AFTER ALL, YOU WERE THE HUMAN WHO CONQUERED OUR SOULS, AND NOW FRISKS’ CLOSE FRIEND.” Frisk was trying his best to get to the table, his height too short. You lift him up, happy to see him still enjoy his moments of childhood.

“Thank you… it really does help,” you reply, blushing at his compliments.

“OH, WHY ARE YOU RED AGAIN? IS IT SOMETHING I SAID?”

“Oh no no no! It’s just me, um, feeling very happy,” you tried to explain, like the last few futile attempts. He studies your cheeks, poking them and admiring the reddened texture. “It’s a thing with humans, just that Frisk doesn’t need to blush since… well… I don’t know. He just doesn’t.”

“YOU’RE RIGHT... I HAVE NEVER SEEN OUR CHILD DO A HUMAN BLUSH,” he realizes, staring at Frisk. “FRISK, BLUSH RIGHT NOW. I MUST WITNESS IT MYSELF.” The child gives him a perplexed look, not knowing how to comply. He puffs out his cheeks, mentally trying to do as he was told. 

 

\--

 

You managed to sneak away from Papyrus and Frisk, their minds focused on playing a game of tic tac toe with clean sheets of paper they had just found. In the midst of their heated game you made your way to the outside, wanting a moment of peace and silence for yourself to think about, well, everything.

It’s been well over a month since you woke up down here with no memory of how you got here, when, why, how, or with what. While you didn’t mind the underground and the friends you’ve made, very close friends at that, you also yearn to see your family again. Oddly enough, it feels as if it’s been years since you’ve last seen them, but you swear you’ve only spent a month or so down here, right?

You pull out the watch once more, its sight dragging your mood down into a depressive state once more. If only you knew of its inner workings, then maybe, just maybe, memories could come flooding in that could connect to it. But no, you don’t. And it frustrated you. Why did you lose your memory? Why the hell did you have amnesia? Why now?

In a fit of sudden rage, you threw the watch, hearing it clank on to the ground below. Well, there you go, are you happy now? You threw the device and possibly broke it even more.

But you needed it, possibly. It might be the only answer back home. What if it’s the device that brought you here in the first place? You crouch down and grab it, disappointed in yourself. ‘Pull yourself together, you got this.’ 

“_____?”

You scramble to your feet, face swiveling back and forth in a frantic motion. “Y-yes?!” Your eyes dart everywhere, trying to figure out from where the voice came from. Sans wasn’t anywhere in sight, nor was Papyrus or Frisk. It was definitely not Alphys’ voice, surely. 

You scanned the vicinity around you twice, unable to understand-oh there’s a petal-less flower. It stood out from the rest of the searing environment around. Was that flower there before? Has it always been there? Have you previously overlooked it?

“_____, it’s me,” it mumbled out, making you gape in wonder. “Ha… haha… yeah, your memory, lost cause right? You lost it. Right.” It looked torn and ragged, as if it had received a serious beating. Its black beads for eyes stared at you with hopelessness, mouth quivering. “B-but… do you remember me?”

You gawked in wonder, unable to respond. To hear a talking flower claim that you know them was not only a big event, but also made you feel as if you were in a dream. Nothing in your mind reminded you of him, nor did any memories pop out. You didn’t even know the critter’s name.

“I… no,” you whispered out, dumbfounded. He dropped to the ground dramatically, making you rush to its aid in a heartbeat. “D-do you know who I am? Is that why?” you blurt out a question as you kneel beside the flower, confused. 

“It doesn’t matter anymore. Nothing matters. I’m just… a hopeless cause,” he monologues, his face not budging from the ground. You remain there, hands floating above it, not knowing how to act. 

“Do you maybe… know about me? I know my memory is gone, but you can help me recover it,” you ask, causing the flower to lift up its head. “Actually… yes. Yes! You can be the answer to my problems! If you say you know me, then tell me everything-no, yes… but how do I know you’re being honest? It’s hard to believe you know me when you just appeared out of the blue, like that, with no reason or anything-”

“You’re still the same idiot,” he grumbles, gazing up at you. You were taken aback, offended somewhat, yet you tolerated it from this strange flower who claims to know you. “Isn’t knowing your name enough?”

The flower has a point. It knows your name. “Your father is a doctor of sorts? Got a smaller brother. You liked reading books about medicine… yeah, that’s all I got. Curses.” Your eyes grow wide with wonder, your questions answered hearing him spit more facts about you that you haven’t shared with anybody other than Frisk. But even Frisk didn’t know your father’s occupation. 

“Sold. Here, let me help-”

“N-no!” it suddenly blurts out, backing away. You felt hurt and guilty, not knowing what you did in order to get that response. “D-don’t get me close to those brothers… they… uh, don’t like me. T-they think I’m somebody else and… I c-could never have gotten close to you until now,” he explains, shivering. Or so you think it’s a male. It sounds like a male.

You look back at the laboratory, looking out for any signs of them nearby. “Can I ask why? They seem very nice and cool skeletons. It’s kind of hard to believe they wouldn’t like you, Flowey.” The flower grew startled, a small smile erupting from its face. You were confused, but you smiled in return regardless.

“You… you said my name,” he commented, making you perplexed. “You d-didn’t hear it? Say it. You just said it. Go on.” You thought back to the last few seconds, trying to think of what you said. “I… I don’t remember. I don’t think I said your name… I don’t even remember who you are-”

“It’s Flowey for crying out loud!” he interrupts, upset. “You don’t know how hard it is to see somebody I was getting attached to just… just… forget about me.” He droops down, somber. “Out of the hell hole at least, and now here… but with a friend who forgot about my existence. I kinda deserve it, right? For everything I did… yeah… I do… I’m such a terrible flower-”

“No, stop that, don’t say those things,” you pick him up, trying to cheer him up. “Thank you for telling me your name though, Flowey… and… I don’t know what to say other than I’m sorry.” He cuddles against your soft hands, sobbing and a crying mess. It reminded you of… well, you. The disaster you’ve become when the bad moods hit you. Were you really like this?

In reality he was putting up a show, but you didn't know any better. You were gullible and sincere enough to believe it.8

You didn’t want to hide anything from the brothers that were protecting you under their wings, sheltering you from the dangers outside. For all you knew this could be a danger in itself, posing as an old friend. In reality this flower could stab your back any moment, endangering the lives of those you care about. But it’s hard to believe after what you’ve witnessed. The "genuine" sadness. The sobering and tears. The breaks in his voice and poor appearance. It was… too much to handle. You felt horrible to think he could be capable of such things.

But should you hide this delicate flower from everybody else?

“Let me hide you. If you stay quiet then they might not notice, right?” you suggest. He struggles to lift himself up, giving you a look of concern. “Hide in my pocket, you should be good there.” He hesitates as you open the pocket you were referring to, inviting him in. “I wish I could talk more but… they might be waiting for me. And I need to return back to the laboratory.”

He doesn’t budge, his eyes staring into the darkness of your pockets. At first you had doubts, feeling guilt and shame at the thought of parading around with a flower that neither Papyrus or Sans might approve of, but it was at the cost having your questions answered. Questions that nobody was capable of answering except this lone flower who was scared out of their wits. A delicate, small, petal-less flower. A flower named Flowey.

He gulps, nodding at you before he slowly slithers into your free pocket. You could feel him stir inside it, trying to get comfortable inside the cotton fabric.

And off you went. You entered the laboratory and were greeted with one of Frisk’s surprise hugs. You stumble a few steps back, but manage to regain your balance as you held him high, or tried. You weren’t particularly strong to say the least.

“Hello there! Sorry for the absence, had to get some fresh air,” you catch them up to speed, setting Frisk back down for him to wander around the laboratory. “Nothing happened while I was gone, right?” Papyrus clears his throat, preparing to speak.

“NOT AT ALL. NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. BUT MAY I ADD THAT I, PAPYRUS, DEFEATED FRISK AT LAST AFTER VALIANTLY STANDING MY GROUND IN TIC TAC TOE? FINALLY LEARNED SOMETHING FROM MY FAILURES… DID YOU KNOW THAT SEEING THOSE CIRCLES BEING MADE IN EACH CORNER WOULD TRAP BE IN AN AGONIZING DEFEAT? BECAUSE I DID NOT… BUT BEING THE WITTY SKELETON I AM, I SAW THROUGH HIS CLEVER TACTICS.”

“Yeah, it’s how I win most of the time in that game. It’s very fun,” you admit, your eyes glued to Frisk’s failed attempts at turning the gigantic monitor before him. “So how long will it be until we reach the king and queen?”

“NOT LONG AT ALL... MAYBE AN HOUR OR TWO?” he responded. “JEEZ, MY BROTHER REALLY ENJOYS SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH HIS SPACE SHENANIGANS. DOES HE NOT KNOW THE KING AND QUEEN ARE AWAITING US? THEY WANT TO SEE THE GREAT PAPYRUS… I WONDER HOW IT MUST FEEL TO BE ANTICIPATING THE ARRIVAL OF THEIR FUTURE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARDS.”

“He’ll be done soon. I guess Alphys really wanted to talk to him,” you try to defend your friend, although not with any great effort. Instead you focus on the small movements your pocket makes. Movements that catch Frisk’s eye, making him totter over to your side. Nervously you slide your hand down to your pocket, your fingers entwined between whatever stem you feel. “Hey! How are… um, you doing?”

“I’m trying to turn that on so that I can see through the cameras Alphys has,” he says, pointing to the monitor, no longer focusing on your trembling pocket. “But Alphys is busy so I can’t ask her.”

“It’s okay we can wait,” you ruffle his hair with both hands, following with a fit of laughter and tickling rounds between you and Frisk. The two of you fall down in laughter and glee, Papyrus watching from a distance as he leans against the metallic walls.

You agree to whatever Frisk wants in order to divert his attention away from your pocket. Flowey loves to stir and mumble, which was beginning to make you feel nervous and tense, something that Frisk definitely notices. Papyrus seems oblivious to it, thankfully.

While the two of you played random games and tag, Papyrus was skimming through the opened books Alphys has left on her cramped desk. Both antique and newer books were scattered throughout it, unorganized and with dust settled all over them.

You continued to provide entertainment for Frisk, tired and exhausted one hour into his energetic antics. At one point you fell down and startled Papyrus, who scolded Frisk for having made you look unprepared and tired before meeting royalty. However, you kept going for half an hour more, seeing as how Frisk himself was beginning to feel tired as well.

The edginess and tense mood started to flow away, your mind forgetting that you had a sentient being on your pocket that constantly shivered and coughed. Instead you thought back to the past month you’ve spent down here. The memories you’ve made that are beginning to replace the ones you’ve lost. 

You can recall the day you dragged Papyrus into anime, or the day when you convinced Sans to clean up the house, shocking Papyrus to the core. You also remember when you had saved Frisk from drowning one time, although you also drowned if it wasn’t for Sans, so technically you didn’t prevent it? Did you make it worse in a way? You also remember when you had finally cooked something worthy of Papyrus’ approval, albeit with some help from both Sans and Frisk.

They were beginning to grow on to you, especially when you realize that, one day, you’re going to be given the choice to leave them behind and return to your old family. While you already know what you will do in that moment, you can’t help but have a broken heart at the thought of leaving these monsters behind. It’s… hard to fathom how much different your life would have been if you never stumbled down here or lost your memory. Would you have never believed the myths and rumors of monsters? Would you have ever seen skeletons? Could you even live long enough to see the day that the barrier breaks? And if so, would you have been friends with these individuals in particular?

It dawns on you that, maybe, just maybe, your heart secretly wants you to stay.

“S-so that’s w-why I t-turned on the g-generator and-”

“Alphys! Uncle Sans!” Frisk calls out in delight, rushing over to the opened elevator doors. Both Sans and Alphys walk out in unison, their expressions wildly different. Alphys looked nervous and a concerned, her hands quickly retreating to her back as soon as she noticed you in the corner of the laboratory. Sans, well, he looked the same as always, in a pensive mood. He looked indifferent, normal, regular, the same expression of always as he smokes. 

“H-hey Frisk… how h-have you b-been?” Alphys stutters out, opening her arms to greet Frisk. “I… uh, c-can’t stay and w-watch anime with y-you today-”

“Awe, and why not?” he pouted. Sans bent down to meet his saddened gaze, hand on the child’s hair.

“c’mon kiddo, we got a king and queen to meet up, remember?” That was enough to save Alphys, Frisk’s own expression changing to that of joy.

“You’re right! Let’s go!” Frisk responds, rushing over to Papyrus, who was the closest to the exit. He struggled to climb up the skeleton, halting once he could barely peek over his shoulders. He then proceeded to point to the door. “Llllllllllllllet’s go.”

“IN A JIFFY! GIVE US A FEW LONG SECONDS FRISK,” Papyrus responds to his impatience, staring over at Sans and Alphys. He looked worried, as if he already knew they were discussing matters unable to be heard by you or Frisk. As a result, you stood up and walked over to the scientists, hoping to be able to catch on to anything new. Obviously they stopped once you were within hearing range, Sans giving you a soft glance once you were close enough to hear them sigh. 

“let’s go, we got royalty to meet,” Sans reminded you, heading over to the exit. You said your goodbyes to Alphys, who was delighted to see you once again. 

“It w-was good m-meeting you a-again, _____.”

“Thank you, it was good to see you too… and sorry if we don’t talk much. I promise I’ll change that soon,” you explain, making her smile. “You can visit too!”

“O-oh, I know t-that…” The group exits the laboratory with you behind the three of them. 

The journey to the castle was quite long, and tedious at first, but as always Frisk broke the ice and began to ramble on about his friends. Monster Kid, for example, happens to be one of Frisk’s closest friends his age. He also sounded rather familiar, but you didn’t bother to try to dig into your memories now that you know the outcome of that.

“So um,” you start, speed walking over to Sans until you were by his side. “What did you guys talk about?” He glances over to you, never opening his mouth to respond. You took a deep breath and looked away awkwardly, only to return your eyes to him and try again. “I mean, if it’s okay with you. I was just worried since Alphys didn’t look so good and all.”

He slows down a bit, letting Papyrus and Frisk gather distance between the two of you before he began to walk his normal speed. “dunno if it’s somethin’ you’ll understand,” he finally mumbles out, looking ahead to the long trek. 

“I can try to understand,” you insist, curiosity taking over. He chuckles at your response before taking in the fresh air around him, breathing out through his mouth. “I have a lot of questions too… so I wanted to ask that first before I forget.”

“…there’s been a lot of anomalies here and there. disappearances. random portals opening up to who knows where.”

“I understood that,” you tell him, smiling at how smart you think you are.

“no shit, i dumbed it down for you,” he reveals, making you pout from disappointment of your own abilities. “alphys noticed there were unexplained holes in the fabric of time and space… where they shouldn’t be. entire streets sometimes get swallowed up by these random portals, only to return once it dissipates.” You could feel Flowey squirming in your pocket, making you drop your hand into it to calm him down. 

“Since when has this been happening?”

“as long as i can remember. dunno a time when it hasn’t… but, it’s been getting worse.” His look remains distant, focused on the horizon and the approaching castle ahead. You do the same, surprised to see how enormous the castle looked from here… imagine once you were standing right before it.

“Why do the portals happen? And is there any that could have connected to the surface?” He blinks, his gaze now having fallen on you.

“we theorized that, especially after your flashy entrance… but, no. these portals i speak of open to… a dark place. some sort of hell.” He stops to smoke for a few seconds, allowing you to absorb the information he’s giving you. “we thought you could give us answers, but, heh, turns out you got fuckin’ amnesia. doesn’t help much.”

“I’m sorry. I kind of wish I had my memories too,” you apologize.

“you know, words start to lose their meanin’ after a while,” he switches the subject, glancing over to Frisk, who was falling asleep on Papyrus’ shoulders. “careful with that word. been hearin’ it so damn much.”


	44. “WHAT IS THIS? IS THIS YOUR’S-OH NO NO NO, FIDDLES FIDDLES, FUCK-NO CURSING PAPYRUS, FIDDLES, WHAT WILL I DO?”

Finally, you all reach your destination via Sans’ door. Frisk’s poor legs were getting tired, and seeing as how Papyrus himself didn’t want Frisk to be asleep for the eventual visit, gave in to Sans. It was during this small window of opportunity that, with the water bottle you were given during the trip, you let Flowey take a few sips. Nobody seemed to notice your holdup as you took your sweet time passing through the rip in space and time. 

“n-not there,” his tiny voice, muffled by your pocket, whispered out. You take a good look at where you had been taken to. It was a long hallway, wide and beautiful. Pillars were erected against the walls, a large window containing the Dreemur’s crest between each pillar. Shafts of light would shine in through them, followed by shadows from the pillars themselves.

“Oh my god this is beautiful,” you breath out, in awe at the beauty. Dust particles could be seen floating through the shafts of light as Sans and Papyrus waited for you beyond the first pillar. 

However, the depressive thoughts got the best of you by the time you had all reached the entrance to the Throne Room. Sans had definitely picked up on it, sticking close to your side in case you were going to break down into a fit of tears, as you have previously… but not this time. Those embarrassing moments have to stop. And they will. You didn’t want to be that sulking mess that always needed help. 

Every time it occurs you try your best to hold it in, but you fail. Your fragile body can only allow so much before it breaks, your sobbing always worrying Frisk to the point that he might shed a tear or two as well. Papyrus manages to cheer you up most of the time, but neither of them know the true reason you do end up being torn apart. In fear of making Frisk grow grim you avoid the subject all together, constantly telling them that you were only feeling that way because you were in physical pain from the injuries you’re still recovering from.

The only one who didn’t believe you was Sans, but he didn’t bother to ask why. He respected your decisions.

Footsteps and words were echoed within the hall the four of you stood under, the shafts of light causing the color of your eyes to pop out. “Let’s go meet ma, _____!” Frisk tugged at your shirt, pointing to the door before you. It was twice your height, intimidating and with the royal crest embedded into it. “You’ll love her! She’s so nice and sweet.”

“INDEED SHE IS. SHE EVEN OFFERED ME TO BE THE KEEPER OF THEIR GARDEN,” Papyrus proclaimed, fixing his jacket to look his best.

“And did you accept?” you asked out of curiosity.

“WHY, OF COURSE. NOT JUST ANYONE GETS ASKED TO BE THE GUARDIAN OF THEIR YELLOW FLOWERS AND SCENTED BEAUTIES, YOU KNOW.” He knocks on the door, an energetic Frisk trembling from excitement down below. You swallow the spit that had been accumulating, goosebumps forming from the trepidation. How will the visit go? Will they not like you? Will you make a fool of yourself? Are you even ready? You’re so shy, will you mess it up by being too timid? Will you be clumsy? Will you-

You take a few steps back, not feeling ready to meet these important figures, shaking your head apprehensively. Papyrus turned to give you a sincere smile, placing one of his hands on your shoulder.

“FEAR NOT, _____. THEY ARE VERY KIND AND WILL TREAT YOU WITH RESPECT. THEY WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO CAUSE YOU ANY HARM.” You continue to look down, like an animal who was unable to shake away their fear. 

“Apologies,” a loud, booming voice erupted from the other side of the doors. Frisk yelped in glee, knocking on the door once more.

“Ma! Pa! It’s me!”

“Yes, my child, we know it’s you!” a chirpier, motherly voice had spoken from across the door, seemingly closer than the other voice. You didn’t budge, your arms hugging your body as you face the other way. 

“I… um… give me a second please,” you had rasped out before making your way down the beautiful corridor you had just walked through. 

“OH, OF COURSE. IF THAT IS WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD UP SOME COURAGE, THEN WE WILL WAIT... I WILL GLADLY EXPLAIN THAT YOU NEEDED SOME PRIVATE TIME OF YOUR OWN,” Papyrus had replied to your words, a hint of sorrow masked underneath.

You could hear the gigantic doors being opened with ease, the sound of the archaic creaks filling your ear drums. Frisk’s own leaps and chirps of glee were drowned out over the swinging doors. From the corner of your eye, with a slight turn of your head, you managed to catch a glimpse of Frisk rushing inside, arms extended and unable to wait another second to see his adoptive parents.

Sans didn’t budge, his yellow pupil staring at you from afar, a thin line of smoke drifting above his cigar. 

Once you believed you were far enough to be unable to be heard, you make a sharp turn and clumsily let your body fall on to one of the illuminated windows. Sorrow began to take over as you slid down the window and the wall, hands covering your face as you tried to prevent any snorts or cries.

You cowered under the window, knees bundled close to your chest, forehead resting on arms crossed over the wobbling knees, and a thumping heart. Not only were you feeling the anxiety of meeting royalty, but you were also terrified. Terrified that you may not be able to return home. Since the beginning of the trip you have been telling yourself that these individuals may hold the key to being able to return you home, perhaps giving you hints or clues to lead you towards the correct path. However, the more you pondered with the idea, the more you realized that, well, how would they even know? They have never met you. They have probably never seen a case such as yours, much less one involving a strange device. 

From your pocket you felt Flowey slither out, his petal-less head poking out between your thigh and side in order to get a good look at your solemn face. It was enough to instill disappointment in you, guilt and shame that somebody was looking at you in the state you are in.

You lift your head, unable to let him watch you sob in silence. “Is there something you need?” you muttered, eyes focusing on the dust particles floating in front. He scurried over to your shoulder, his stem slowly wrapping around your neck. 

“Before you lost your memory you were capable of withstanding a lot of things,” he began to speak, making you blink in awe. “Like an idiot you swung your weapon around, fighting against odds that weren’t in your favor… always forcing me to save your sorry soul from enemies.” 

The faint voices from within the throne room could be heard from here, Papyrus’ in particular. “I was so excited when I found you,” you finally speak, although with a quivering voice. “That you had the answers I needed. That I could easily stop somewhere and get a story out of you. But.” You pause, remembering the moment life had introduced you to this flower. “I was also scared. I wanted to ask you things, I really did. I had the opportunities to stop and have a small chat, but I was scared. I didn’t want to learn about who I was… what if I was a bad person? What if bad things happened to me? I just… I know I was just paranoid, it’s just… hard to believe that my answers were already there, and I didn’t process it at first.” 

“You’re still a sappy chum, you know that?” he chuckles, resting his head on your soft hair. You didn’t know what to think, your mind clogged with every possible “what if.”

“No, I don’t know that… and… I wish I did,” you sobbed out, unable to mask your sorrow. “And even if I did recover my memories… what will that do? Whatever device I had is broken, I don’t know how to return home with the barrier, and well, maybe I’m better off without them. The memories… they will only make me sadder.”

“This might not be the best time to say this, but, we need to hurry up and fix that stupid time device of yours.” You pull out the pocket watch from the other pocket, letting it slide down and hit the floor with a clank. “Yeah, that thing, but don’t treat it like that! We need it!”

“What use does it have if it’s broken?” you mumbled, unable to get yourself out of your negativity. Flowey let out a small whine, hopping over to the watch. He lifted it using vines, trying to reclaim your attention.

“Stop being a mood sucker and let’s fix this! It’s our ticket out of here, don’t you see?” he explained with vigor, making you grow astonished at the revelation. “Oh, right, forgot you lost your memory. Guess you’re not the only idiot here. Okay, listen up!” You lean back against the wall, giving room for the flower to leap and land on to your knees, vines presenting the watch before you. “This hunk of metal here has the power to take you to different universes.”

“What?”

“Yes, hard to believe, trust me. I didn’t believe it at first either, until I saw it in action.” He turns the watch towards him, getting a good look at its dents and scratches. “So…” You were dumbfounded, unable to say anything to him as you tried to dig deep into your memory. But alas, nothing came out. Not one fleeting gut feeling or hunch regarding the watch. “Stop giving me that dumb stare! Say-”

“____.” 

You jumped from fright at the voice, causing Flowey to hold on tight with his vines to your legs. Eyes darted around the room, frantic to find the source of the familiar voice… until they pinpointed it to a silhouette in the darkness in front of you, where the shafts of yellow light have failed to reach.

Suddenly their eyes opened, revealing the yellow pupil you’re accustomed to.

“Was that even necessary!?” Flowey had screeched, only to yelp at the sight of Sans, whose figure was as motionless as the pillars around him. “N-no… no no no no get away!”

“____,” Sans had repeated your name, this time with a stern voice. “papyrus and frisk are waitin’ on you back inside the throne room. go pay them a visit.” His mesmerizing pupil began to glow a brighter yellow, catching your attention and gaining your fear. 

Flowey held on tighter to your legs, trembling.

“O-okay, I’ll go-”

“leave the flower with me,” he interjects before you begin to move, making you glance down at Flowey. He gave you a look filled with terror, unable to break his gaze from your own, making your legs lock in place. You couldn’t leave the flower behind, not with the sense of terror he was displaying, yet you didn’t want to question Sans’ motives. He has never shown or done anything to deserve any of your doubts, so much so that you were willing to trust him with personal matters. 

But now, you were pinned against doubting his actions, or sticking behind to see what Flowey was so terrified about. 

Timidly, you take a step forward, glancing back up at your skeletal comrade. “Why do you want Flowey? Did he do something to you?” you force out with unease, unable to predict what could occur next. Flowey kept shuddering, his eyes still focused on your own.

Sans began to sluggishly walk towards you, pupil focused on the flower wrapped around your leg. “he isn’t someone you would wanna’ keep your kids around,” he responded casually.

All of a sudden you saw a blur of yellow and green and a yelp escaped your lips, your body attempting to jerk itself away from the flurry of colors with a sense of dread instilled in you. Flowey remained wrapped tightly around your leg, just as bewildered as you were.

With your back pressed against the window you let your eyes wander, scanning the premises to understand the mess that was occurring.

Sans kept blinking out of sight, returning and disappearing in different locations, followed by green blurs that would attempt to pierce him at lightning speed. 

His bright yellow pupil stood out from the mess, brightening the moment he summoned bones of different sizes to slash whatever was attacking, which was blocked by the pillar beside you. 

“What are you doing?! Run!” Flowey screeched, making your legs grow weaker. “We’re going to get killed, run already!” You tried to move, only for your fear to return you back to where you were. You couldn’t move. You couldn’t think. You couldn’t do anything other than watch Sans dodge the mess of vines and blurs.

When he gave you a quick glance, that of worry, you snapped out of your senseless fear. Here he was, fighting and fending you off from whatever was attacking and you were frozen in fear, like easy prey. 

“Finally you move, now run!” Flowey shook you with his vines, but it wasn’t enough.

With terror you watched as a vine had managed to wrap itself around Sans’ left arm. “god dammit.” He sliced it with a sharp bone he summoned, teleporting out of sight and returning someplace different with a slurry of more attacks.

“I… I can’t… I can’t even predict what can happen-”

The sight of a line of fire halted your words, gaining your attention. Flowey shrieked, not wanting to leave you. “Papyrus, save the human,” that same deep voice from behind the doors had commanded, finally appearing before you. His broad shoulders and purple cape were the first to reach your sight, his bright red trident reflecting back some of the light the shafts were letting in. 

“P-Papyrus?” you repeated, slow to process what was happening.

“Idiot! The watch! Get the watch!” Flowey hollered, eyes desperately wanting to search for it. You tried to find Papyrus among the mess, both Sans and Asgore fighting whoever it was, somebody you weren’t willing to take a peek to learn about.

“____!” Papyrus’ voice broke to you, making you glance to your left. He immediately scooped you off the ground, yet Flowey leaped off to search for the watch. “IT’S TOO DANGEROUS HERE, WE MUST FIND YOU A SAFER PLACE-”

“But Flowey!” you called out, making Papyrus swivel his head to search for the flower. “He’s going to get hurt-oh my god.” You were in Papyrus’ arms, your head finally able to see past the pillars blocking the enemy that was attacking. 

It was a grotesque mashup of plant tissue, human organs, and machinery. And for some reason you had never given your attention to its voice until now. “You are all so STUPID-Oh boy, there she is!”

“papyrus!” Sans growled, abruptly stopping his dodging to teleport by the two of you. He rips open a door, releasing two gigantic skulls, making you gawk in shock. This was the first time you’ve seen them, and it made you gulp.

“I WILL TAKE HER TO A SAFE PLACE, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME TO DO THAT.” Papyrus proceeds to run out of the scene, towards the throne room.

“Wait, no, Flowey!” you blurted out amidst Papyrus’ leaps and dodges, Sans backing his brother up and slicing any attacks aimed at you. Asgore was closer to the entity, blocking attacks and using fire to attempt to burn it down. 

You watched as their figures diminished in size, your savior getting farther from the battle at hand. Windows were being shattered, pillars destroyed, and your small flower friend was somewhere in the mess of vines, bones, and fire.

“What about Flowey? Sans?” you yelled out again, unable to fathom the thought of either of them perishing. Papyrus halts once he reaches the last window, throwing a bone to crack its delicate glass. “Wait, Frisk?”

“THEY WILL BE FINE, I INSIST. YOU MUST BE TAKEN TO A SAFER PLACE FIRST-”

“H-hey, I want to know everybody will be safe!” you interrupt, trying to scramble out of Papyrus’ grip, but to no avail. He easily overpowered you, leaping out of the window and into one of the ledges from the castle. This made you gasp, terrified of heights. You were possibly more than a dozen floors high, making your stomach churn at the thought. Dizziness began to settle in. “P-please, I think I can help-”

“FRISK IS SAFE WITH TORIEL, AND SANS IS A STRONG BROTHER, I KNOW HE CAN SURVIVE THROUGH ANYTHING,” he tried to reassure you, but it wasn’t enough. You wanted to pry yourself free, but your body refused to listen. Your paranoia and fear of heights got the best of you. 

Oh god, he was beginning to run over the ledges. 

“B-be careful! We’re going to f-fall!”

“DO NOT WORRY, I AM QUITE SKILLED IN THIS,” he responds to your frets with a stern voice, shutting you up. Vines and glass shards keep erupting from above, making you cower in fear and dig your face into Papyrus’ chest, unable to instill more fear into yourself.

“____, EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.” You shiver, tears silently falling down your cheeks and absorbed by his shirt. “WE PROMISED WE WOULD PROTECT YOU, SANS AND I… AND WE NEVER GO BACK ON OUR WORD. BELIEVE IN US LIKE WE DID IN YOU.” You tried to agree, but instead of a sound of approval you gurgled over your own fear, unable to keep yourself calm and collected like the others were.

Papyrus continued to run, dodging obstacles and leaping down ledges. It was during a jump that you heard Flowey’s distant voice calling out to you, snapping you out of your trance. “Where are you?!” you blurt out, hands holding on to your friend’s shoulders with a head held up high, eyes dashing past the debris to find a small flower. But you found nothing. Shards and attacks kept being seen exploding out of the windows, worrying you.

“OVER HERE YOU AIRHEAD,” the flower hollered, prompting Papyrus to stop and make a sharp turn, taking the breath out of you. He snatched the plummeting flower from the air, using his only free hand to hang on to the ledge. “FOUND THE WATCH! Finally.” Papyrus quickly recovered, his legs forcing him up into the ledge and to continue going down the building. Once he was low enough, he jumped on to dry land. You coughed, ribs in pain and injured.

“ARE YOU OKAY _____? ARE YOU IN ANY PAIN OR DANGER?” Papyrus asked quickly, concerned and with his free hand feeling your forehead for any signs of fever. All you could manage was a wheeze, eyes barely able to keep themselves open. “OH NO NO NO, HUMAN, STAY AWAKE! SPEAK TO ME! TELL ME WHAT’S WRONG!” He set you down, hands searching for any major injuries, making an abrupt stop where you winced in pain. You curled in reaction, coughing out blood. This made Papyrus cry out in worry, powerless to help.

“I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS, THE ROYAL GUARDS WEREN’T MADE TO HEAL HUMANS, NO, OH BONE FIDDLES!” he panics, going through the pockets inside his trench coat. Flowey curled within your arms, giving you a look of hope. The watch was being weakly held by one of his vines, a faint light emanating from it.

“I… got it to work… if that cheers you up chum,” he whispered to you, only for him to collapse along with you, watch clanking and rolling over to Papyrus’ feet. 

“WHAT IS THIS? IS THIS YOUR’S-OH NO NO NO, FIDDLES FIDDLES, FUCK-NO CURSING PAPYRUS, FIDDLES, WHAT WILL I DO?” he keeps panicking. From the corner of your eye you capture the glimpse of colorful shoes behind the tall frantic skeleton. You extend your hand, struggling, towards the figure to try to warn Papyrus. But you could only move it a few inches before your arm fell, your body exhausted. 

Your breaths started to slow, body feeling heavy, mind clogged, eyes closing.

“_____, EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT! I WILL SAVE YOU FROM YOUR EXHAUSTION!”

Then you heard a voice. A voice so familiar, that you gasped and tried to force your eyes towards it. “_____?!? oh god, stay with me-.” 

His colorful shoes made you smile before you fainted.


	45. “it’s a pleasure to see you without a memory.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is rather... packed with plot progression, to say the least. While I would have spent more time in it to make it better to read, I'm in a rush as I type this D: Only had less than 30 minutes to read it all, proofread it, and add extra dialogue or details to make it neater and such. (Yes, I actually quickly write and proofread the chapters way before hand, only for the day I post it to proofread it again and fix up the chapter for it to be smoother.)
> 
> Also a quick heads up, there's the possibility of me being involved in some one-week vacation of sorts! It's good for me, but also means no chapters for a week :o So if that were to become reality, which is very soon, I'll definitely tells you guys a few days in advance and possibly post 5 chapters the day before I leave. Hopefully they make up for the one-week absence.
> 
> But that is all. Farewell and I shall return later!

Eyes opened and you shot up the next instant, panting and with arms clinging to whatever blanket you were holding. You were in a dark room, the bed lamp being dimly light as to faintly reveal the contents inside the room. The bed you were in was small, your feet able to graze against the wood at its end.

You were in a bedroom, and possibly sleeping? You scanned around, trying to figure out how you ended up here. A bigger question was, what WAS that thing that was attacking you and the group? That grotesque mesh of organs and vegetation was a nightmare to see, and it made you shiver. If only you had not fainted you could have known about the well-being of your own friends. Instead you're sitting in a very firm bed with a fluffy blanket, body sweaty and clinging to the clothes you were wearing. 

The darkness around you was eerie and unsettling, causing you not to look anywhere above your waist. However, the small sound of tapping quickly jerked your head up. 

Your body tensed up and instantly crawled backwards, your back hitting the head of the bed harshly at the sight of the monster on the corner of your room. They were sitting on top of the desk, legs rocking the chair back and forth.

They resembled Sans, yet much shorter, and with a sapphire glow to their eye in contrast to Sans’ mustard pupil.

You couldn’t speak. You were terrified.

“how was it? this universe?” the skeleton asked in a whisper, his duffle coat familiar to you. “how did it feel? to be so close to escaping my clutches? relieving?” His legs stop fiddling with the chair, hands in pockets. “it’s a pleasure to see you without a memory.”

“W-who are you?” you finally mustered the courage to say, fear seeping into you. The more he spoke, the stronger the urge of familiarity he gave off. It’s as if you’ve talked to him before. Seeing his glowing pupil suddenly flicker different shades of other colors brought back images of you and him together, but nothing else arrived.

Memories were flooding in, but despite it you didn’t have the slightest clue who he was… other than somebody your mind claims you’ve talked to before.

“everything was falling into place, but yet… you happen to change that. ironic, really. truly i had a fleeting moment where my old carcass was beginning to return to his old former self.” He hops off the desk and on to the floor, where he began to draw out a door in front of him, eyes piercing through your terrified soul. “but this is a lost cause. you’re a mere shell of someone who used to have potential. potential that i will patiently wait for, yet again. enjoy your last hours of bliss,” he said before giving you a smug look, a portal materializing before him.

“N-no, wait!” you blurt out, causing him to halt in his tracks. “Who am I? Where am I? Who are you? I feel like I know you… but I don’t. It’s odd, it’s-”

He glared at you, closing the portal before him. “alright. i’ll give you what you deserve.” You blink to his response, unable to move as he approached you in silence. “ever yearned to transcend one’s body?”

Your eyes widened, confused as his eyes began to flicker with a mess of colors. “I, no, I don’t-” He was standing in the middle of the room one second, but the next he popped right into view on top of you, wielding a bone with a sharp end, lifting the weapon and positioning it over your heart in the blink of an eye. “W-wait! Stop! NO!”

“IS IT ANOTHER NIGHTMARE, _____?” Papyrus’ voice erupted from the hallway beyond, causing the murderous skeleton before you to erupt in a twisted, terrifying grin. His glowing eye was no longer a slurry of colors, but that of bloody red. 

“as always, you have been an asset from the beginning. my puppet to control,” his voice was slightly distorted, making you shiver from terror. No. This was horror. You’ve never felt anything like it. He was inches from you, a sharp projectile mere seconds away from you heart, his eye and voice dripping with poison.

The door opened and the terror blinked away from existence, making you gasp from fright. Papyrus entered the room, slightly bent to be able to fit through the door frame. “DO NOT FEAR, I AM HERE TO CALM YOUR NERVES-”

“P-Papyrus, l-listen! T-there’s somebody here, I d-don’t know who I-” he places a finger to his mouth, marching over to you in worry. “Y-you don’t u-understand, he’s h-here, he’s… I d-don’t know, here!”

“WOW, THAT’S A NEW NIGHTMARE… AND WHAT HAPPENED?” he inquired, hands lifting your head and slightly moving it to look for any other signs or symptoms. “YOU LOOK PALE… DID YOU SIMPLY WANT MY COMPANY? IS THAT WHAT YOU DESIRE? MY PRESENCE TO EASE YOUR NERVES?”

“P-Papyrus, please,” your voice quivered, eyes darting around for any signs of the skeleton who was here not too long ago. “W-we need to leave, w-we-”

The door was slammed shut, your voice yelping at the sight. Papyrus shot up, alert and attentive, but just like you, found nothing in the room. “WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SAW, _____?” he demanded, his voice stern. He scanned once more, his body stiff. 

“I… I d-don’t know… it l-looked like S-Sans, b-but it wasn’t him… this monster… he was s-shorter, he-”

Then it happened. You didn’t even notice it at first, the slight sign of pain marked over Papyrus’ skull. You thought it was simply him trying not to show his fear of the situation, but it took you a minute to process what had occurred. 

Your hands covered your mouth, face twisted in horror at the sight. 

Standing before you was Papyrus, but it wasn’t until he had fallen down on to the floor that the murderous skeleton from before slides into view. He had his arm extended, a light blue beating heart in his grasp. 

He cocked his head at you, Papyrus’ soul slowly diminishing in size as small particles were being broken off and absorbed into the skeleton’s hand. “if only i had rid of the soul that housed my body, i would have no remorse over simply taking your life… yet… doing so would lead to an unfortunate series of events.” He delicately pressed one of his thin skeletal finger against his canines, annoyance plastered on to his face. “you wouldn’t want me to take the life of another, would you? take this as… an example of what would occur if you were to defy my orders.” He licked his canines with a glowing tongue the same hue of his eye, that same twisted grin returning. “it would be a shame to lose such an important chess piece.”

And with that he rips open a door, walking through it as your stiff body watched in terror. It zapped out of existence.

You kept staring out into space, mind clouded with despair and confusion after what you have seen. It was all so quick, nothing made sense, are you certain this isn't a dream?

Your body immediately shot out of the bed and on to the floor. Papyrus was sprawled on the ground, the front of his body against the rug of the floor. 

“P-Papyrus?” you called anxiously, slightly shaking his wide shoulders. There was no response. “Papyrus? Are you there? Papyrus? Papyrus?!” you continued, frustration and tears escaping you. “W-wake up! Listen! Get up!” His skull and bones started to disintegrate, dust settling under his clothes. “N-no… no no no no, p-please, d-don’t leave me, d-don’t!”

“bro? _____? what’s the hold up?” Sans’ deep voice asked from the other side of the door, his hands knocking on to the hard wood. You glanced up, shaking your head in disbelief.

“D-don’t enter! No!” was all you could say, not wanting him to witness what was inside. Minutes passed without his response as you tried to quiet yourself, not wanting to reveal the desperation inside. But you failed. He listened, yet payed attention to your sounds in the room, curious as to the reasoning behind your sudden outburst.

You collapsed into a sulking mess on top of the dust and clothes, hiccups and gasps of air thrown out of your lips. The door was creaked open, only for it to be slammed against the next second. Not wanting to see Sans’ face, you remain on top of what was once Papyrus’ figure, eyes closed shut and face hidden behind your arms.

From the corner of your eye, once you forced them open, you saw a cigar fall on to the floor below, Sans’ knees following soon after. He didn't utter a single word, pupil dilating at the improbable. 

In response you slowly sat up, your eyes awkwardly meeting his own. Contrary to your sulking mess, Sans was keeping himself together. He refused to look at was once his brother and instead gave you a sudden embrace, rubbing the bottom portion of your back. "i'll be here." The gesture was enough to calm down your hiccups and gurgles, arms returning the hug in a tighter embrace. "it's not your fault, all right? it's... fuck, it's kinda hard to keep it together, isn't it?"

He held you in his arms and gave you a small kiss on the forehead before standing up, flustered and not knowing how to take away from what he was seeing.

Frisk’s tiny footsteps were nearing the vicinity, startling Sans. He didn’t hesitate to leave the room, shutting the door behind him. You could hear him calmly distracting Frisk, not wanting him to witness what had occurred here. Both the King and Queen’s voices followed, chatter beginning. 

You sit up, watching your tears fall and plop down on to the dark trench coat. With quivering lips, you try to block the sounds of sobbing from escaping as you took one last look at the dust. 

Weakly, you stood up, the bed your anchor helping you to stay up. 

This was your fault, wasn’t it? Or so it seems, after repeating the events over and over in your head, unable to understand why such events occurred. You didn’t know the murderer, yet he seemed so familiar. He spoke to you in a way that he appeared to recognize you, mentioning how easily you were able to be controlled… and it got you thinking…

Who were you before? The memories that flooded in when you saw him were those of happy moments, cheery paradise. But what he just accomplished was misery and depression, which begged the question… are you like him? Is that who you were before?

You sat on the bed, hands holding your head up as you tried to wrap your head around it, but as soon as your eyes landed on the trench coat, you burst into another round of tears and wheezes. This continued for the rest of the evening, Sans successfully preventing Frisk from realizing what had occurred only a mere few feet from him. From what you’ve heard just outside the door, the King and Queen appear to know what had happened. 

Time didn’t matter anymore, and you lost track of it for the rest of the evening. You felt at fault for what had occurred, unable to understand why or how. It wasn’t until Sans entered the room and woke you up, after what felt like hours of a depressive nap, that you finally uttered words.

“Hello,” you forced out, sniffling and wiping the tear trails off of your cheeks with your sleeves. He had managed to collect himself, concern on his face as he studied you. “I… I don’t know.”

“follow me,” he asked of you, standing up and opening the door wide for you. It’s been hours since you left the room and you hesitated, not knowing what to do. Leaving felt like something you didn’t want to do, legs wobbling and unable to listen. He remained standing, patiently waiting for you as he leaned against the edge of the door, skull against his lifted arm that was holding it open. 

“O-okay, I’m going,” you muttered, struggling to stand up. You refused to look down as you walked over to the door, exiting and blinded by the bright lights beyond. Sans closed the door and proceeded to head down the hallway. Once your vision returned to normal you followed him, a lump forming in your throat. Frisk was nowhere to be found, nor any of the others.

“hey, uh, how ‘bout we take a shortcut out of here?” Sans suggested, turning to face you. This took you by surprise, bumping into him, slow to process his words. You refused to meet his gaze, faintly nodding to his request. 

 

\--

 

You were surprised to see where he had taken you via his shortcut, his door that had ripped space and time having taken you to a location you’ve never gone to. The walls and dark lavender ground beneath you are the same of that of Waterfall, yet you don’t recall this place. Both you and Sans were standing in a large room filled with… quirky dog-cat hybrids. They were chatting away, some giggling and others dashing all over the place. 

A quirky tune was playing, the musical theme forcing a smile on to your face. Sans notices this, a slight smile erupting from his own face at the accomplishment. There was a statue that looked identical to the creatures roaming here, as well as a painting to your left that depicted another of these cat-dog hybrids mounting a dragon.

“OMG!!!” one of the creatures erupted out in glee upon laying their eyes upon you, rushing to your side. They were short and adorable, making you kneel down for closer inspection. The others followed suit, repeating the phrase in a messy chant.

“HUMAN!!!”

“hOI!!!”

“welcome SANS!!!”

“SANS!!!”

They continued to gather around the two of you, their joy expressed through their trembling and singing. You couldn’t help but begin to laugh as they leaped over one another, trying to get a closer look at you.

“You are all so cute,” you muttered, your hands gently cupping the face of the closest creature. After paying attention to their words you figure they are called Temmies, seeing as how they didn’t stop introducing themselves, even if you acknowledged them.

Sans was holding a Temmie of his own, the nodding and shaking of his head being his responses to the overly-excited creature. “hOI!!!”

“hey there, got anythin’ new for me?” he asked, ruffling Temmie’s fur. It hopped off of his hands, running down the room and taking a left, which led to the only other room. He then turned to you, hands returning to his pant pockets.

You stand up, having a Temmie quivering on your head, one holding on to your shoulder, another clinging to your back, and three in your arms. “What is this place?” You could feel your body growing relieved, mind finally able to think of anything other than bloody murder.

“tem village, they call it. cutesy place. also where i go to get intel,” he reveals, making you glance over to him. “knowin’ how just about anythin’ could be involved with the disappearances and rips in space and time, had to think outside the box.” The same Temmie that had run off was returning, a large Temmie behind them. It was sporting a graduation cap. “can’t say no to these guys,” he finishes, kneeling down before the two Temmies approached him.

“hOOOOIIII!!!! tem got facks, ya YA!!!” the gradution cap-wearing Temmie blurts out cheerily. “but, hnnnn, go to TEM SHOP… tEM kno THINGS. bad THINGS,” their voice suddenly softened, eyes no longer filled with joy. Graduation-cap Temmie dashed back to where it came from, prompting Sans to follow close behind.

“H-hey, can I follow?” you asked, only to drop the Temmies and go anyway. Soon you turned and discovered the shop Temmie was speaking of, sticks and socks dotting the shelves. The Temmies outside the shop returned to their chatting and community activities, no longer trying to leap all over the two of you.

Sans sat on to a high chair, pulling out a cigar from his pocket to smoke. You politely stood in front of the small counter, Temmie situating themselves behind it. 

“Tem found out BAD tigs, ERY BAD TIGS!!!” it began, a face filled with anxiety plaguing the poor creature. “Ver scary TIGS.”

You had slight difficulty understanding Temmie, but Sans seems to have no problem. He nodded whenever Temmie paused, reassuring that it was in good hands. You, on the other hand, simply smiled in return whenever it glanced your way.

“WhatveR id waz teM SAW… tem will NOT SAY.” Sans looked mildly surprised by this, leaning closer towards his comrade, elbows resting on his knees.

“i don’t think that will work on me,” he says, making Temmie grow nervous. It bit its lip, eyes darting around as if it were being watched. “and ‘sides, can’t let Tem Village collapse, not on my watch.” This seems to put the creature at ease, breathing in and out at a rapid rate before spitting out more information.

“tEM saw… monster Heads GO out ad iNTO tA PORTALS! Taking friens with thEM!” it quickly explains, Sans’ body stiffening at the revelation. “Homes an PLAces r getting darker, black, SCAry, an shadows r livin THERE NOW.”

Sans suddenly leans in closer with hands that harshly landed on to Temmie’s cardboard counter, their faces inches apart as the chair behind him was pushed away and the creature startled. “has it gotten here yet? how ‘bout the castle?” The creature gulped, sweating beads down as it blinked for answers.

“tem… DonT Know.” He grits his teeth and glares at the wall behind Temmie, seething with anger at whatever it was that was causing havoc in his world. “Tem dont WANT u to go tHERE! Nu!”

“hey, ____,” he calmly states your name, which surprised you knowing what state he was in a second ago. “stay put here. don’t think you can survive out there… cuz you can’t.” With that said he rips open a door, dashing into it. All you could do was watch as the door closed, trapping you in this room filled with Temmie.

“…sO… WELCOM TO THA teM sHOP!!!”


	46. “ever wonder how the others are? if they’re anythin’ like me, they must be… uh, worried, you know. the friends you’ve made in other lands ‘n stuff.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies on the lack of chapter yesterday. Not only was I incredibly busy, but you could say I had a personal reason for my absence. Wasn't chipper yesterday, you could say ^^;
> 
> But with that having been said, here's another chapter to get everything rolling again :D Mind you, the story is quite quick for the reason that if I made the story as long as I envisioned, oh boy we would be reading for god dang months or a year.

The Temmie Village, despite its carefree and energetic atmosphere, was still unable to hush down your worries. You paced back and forth, occasionally being forced to a halt when a resident would want to start an adorable, and quite short, chat with you. 

You had no idea where Sans had gone, what was going on, or what you could do. Flowey didn’t make an appearance after you had fainted, Frisk was being cared for by royalty by this very moment perhaps, and Sans… you’re not sure what’s going on. 

Then again what could you do?

“WHY R u sad?”

You glance to your side, a Temmie popping into view with a cheery face. They sat with you, eyes unable to stay still as they darted from Temmie to Temmie. 

“Is it obvious?” you ask worriedly, forcing a smile on to your face. Temmie nodded, letting out a chortle with a hand trying to cover their opened mouth, but was too small. It was adorable. “I’m just worried. Don’t know what’s going on.”

“U can tell tem!” Temmie suggested, cat ears wiggling furiously. “tem like to listEN!”

You giggled, stretching and trying to figure out how to explain to this naïve creature about your problems. “Well um, I’ll try to explain,” you muttered. Their smile continued to grow, making you gawk in shock. “Uh…. uh.”

“tem ready!” it squeaked out before closing its mouth, eyes gleaming with wonder. You try to wipe away the image of its anatomically-incorrect mouth.

“It’s odd,” you begin, growing solemn with what’s coming next. “So you could say I woke up here without a memory? And luckily I was saved by two skeletal brothers-”

“SKELEONS!”

“Yes, skeletons,” you repeat, waiting for its squeal to stop before you continue. “And… well, I liked them. I’ve spent a good amount of time here, more than a month, and I even became good friends with Frisk-”

“FISK!” it chirped out with enthusiasm, making you snicker. “tem go to da SHOP!” it suddenly blurts out before making a run for it, leaving you behind to ponder on your own. Without a companion you continue for a good while, thinking back to the series of events and beating yourself as a result. 

It was hard not to. Everything that was occurring was happening due to your presence, it seems. Back at the castle, whatever that grotesque thing was called, it recognized you. It wanted you, and both Sans and the King put their lives on the line for you. Even Flowey. Then, the next time you woke up… you… woke up to a nightmare. 

You stop your trip down memory lane, not wanting to cross that certain scene.

“You’re so stupid,” you spit to yourself, the image of the murderer’s bloody red pupil instilled in your mind. It wouldn’t leave. It kept returning. 

“SANS!!! hOI!!!”

“tem see SANS!!!”

“go to tem SHOP SANS!!!”

Filled with guilt and shame you refuse to turn, knowing that it was your fault his brother was no longer walking among you. Your hands grab their opposing shoulders, body shivering from an impending series of tiers, gasps, hiccups, and snorts.

An uncanny smell, that of taffy and chocolate, fills your nostrils, catching you off guard. It brought you back to the moment before you blacked out, where you had taken a whiff of that same exact smell. 

This made you turn, eyes widening at the discovery. It wasn’t Sans, or perhaps it was, but your mind didn’t seem to care as you spat out the name before you could think. Whoever it was, they grinned from afar, approaching you quickly.

“hey, _____!” they piped out, their bright color palette completely different from the darker set the Sans you’re accustomed to has. Shyly you made your way towards them, the two of you meeting in front of the glorious dragon-Temmie painting. “worried you didn’t take that pocket watch with ya’, but you did, so it’s all good.”

“Your voice is very familiar to me,” you start out, making his expression change to that of a frown. This made you panic, not knowing what you’ve done wrong. “Was it something I said? Something I did? Sorry about that I, um,” you stop yourself, embarrassed. 

“nah, just uh… guess sophisticated paps wasn’t kiddin’ around when he said you lost ya’ memory there,” he said solemnly, studying you. “but hey, anyway, guess that means i get to meet ya’ over again, hm? guess i can’t be blue just yet, heheheh… heh,” he trails off, making your blush leave your face as you take in what he was implying. Was he a friend?

“No, please, tell me everything! I really need answers, and, I… well, don’t worry, if you say you were my friend, it won’t be a problem to be a friend again, right?” you respond eagerly, life slowly returning to your eyes. He smiles, grabbing your hand and heading to the exit. But you slide it away from his once you pass it, nervous. He gives you a worried glance, hurt.

“I… uh,” you try to find the words to explain your newfound fear of the dark, the bloody red pupils returning once more. “Let’s avoid the dark, please?” He blinks at this, surprised by your tone of voice. 

“where do you wanna go? anywhere you got in mind?” he inquires, pupils never breaking from your own. You change this, looking away and back to the Temmie Village.

“Can we stay here?” your voice quivers. “I don’t want to leave Sans behind.” He looked forlorn, his gaze falling down to his shoes. “What if he returns and I’m not here? And w-what if he gets worried about where I am and-” Your words are cut short by his sudden embrace, ribs firmly against your own. He was tightening his grip, making you totter back a few steps.

“you know,” he starts, a hint of sorrow dripping from it. “it’s kinda difficult to talk to you, having known you for as long as i can remember ya’, when i’m a stranger to you. it really is.” You awkwardly return the embrace, feeling ashamed for what you were making him go through. “you’re goin’ on, meetin’ all these different sans’ and i’m there… afraid of being forgotten. it was my nightmare. somethin’ i was hopin’ stayed a nightmare, but…”

He breaks the hug, one hand still lingering on your elbow. You were at a loss of words, unable to comprehend how it would feel to have a close friend lose all their memories of you. It sounds terrible, and more of a curse really. It only added to your negativity, making you frown. “Can we still be friends?” you wondered out loud, making him flinch, his hands finding your own and clasping them together.

He looked bewildered. “of course! don’t ever doubt it, _____!” he clearly stated, his pink pinprick pupils swimming in what appears to be glossy eye sockets. Oh dear, was he going to cry? He seems to notice your worry. “heh, i remember when you told me that, out of the other sans’ you’ve met, i was the cheesiest. the one with their heart on their sleeve… can’t blame ya’ for that. always wondered if that’s why i was left behind.”

A lone Temmie approached, bouncing on his tippy-toes. 

“T-then um, let’s start over,” you suggested, still holding his skeletal hands as you try to clear your throat. He smiled once more, enticing you to try to cheer him up more. “My name is _____, b-but I guess you already knew that… how about, um…” You failed miserably, blushing and breaking the hand holding. 

“the name’s sans, but,” he happily begins, pausing to ponder something that bothered him. “you can call me ol’ sugarsans.” This somehow made you feel at ease, making you smile. He enjoyed your reaction, returning the sentiment with a wider smile. “how long has it been since i last saw ya’ smile? can’t believe i went that long without it.” 

He pulls out a lollipop from his pale blue jacket, taking a good look at it before handing it to you. You hesitate to accept the sweet candy, your hands unsteady. 

“So um… I’m sorry, but I’m confused. You mentioned that I said that you were different from the other Sans’ I’ve met?” you questioned, unable to understand. He takes in a deep breath, preparing for the long conversation ahead.

“got a day to spare?”

 

\--

 

With weak legs he fell down, his arms barely managing to grasp the ends of the sink. He pulls himself up, elbows resting on the hard, white, porcelain sink. 

“shut the fuck up,” he growled to his thoughts, glaring weakly at the mirror in front of him. His left pupil was glowing, flickering every second with different colors. It only reminded him of the horror he’s become, images of _____’s face filled with horror only making the skeleton grit his teeth. 

“god dammit, the hell have i become?” he rasps out, his voice fluctuating. He slams his hand on top of the glowing pupil, pain pulsating throughout his body. He slips from the sink, landing harshly on to the tile floor below. 

‘You’re becoming a god, is that not what you wanted?’

“i thought i told you to shut the fuck up,” he muttered out, but it was in vain. The voice inside his head continued to taunt him, scoffing and toying with the small amount of feeling he had left. 

‘I can already feel it, my goal-or, should I say, our dream? We made a contract, did we not?’

He let out a small whine, barely audible. He was defeated, always was. There was nothing he could do but watch from afar, from the abyss of his soul. 

He was the monster he had feared he’d become.

 

\- {Outertale} - 

 

“BROTHER? SANS? OH, WHERE COULD HAVE HE GONE OFF TO AT THIS TIME OF DAY?” Papyrus complained, staring up at the galaxy beyond. His brother had been a mystery since the day _____ left from the visit. Surely she was busy, right? He was simply being an impatient skeleton, which was… different from what he usually is. It’s been nearly a month, no signs from her appearing anywhere, and even Undyne was worried. His brother had been patiently waiting, but as the days passed his mask was getting easier to see through, a troubled brother being able to be seen behind the veil.

“OH BOY, WHAT WILL UNDYNE SAY?” he monologues to himself, worried. Undyne was waiting back at home, in Papyrus’ room, waiting for Sans. She had some very important plans to discuss with him, and it was up to his taller skeletal brother to find him. “I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL NOT DISAPPOINT UNDYNE! I WILL SUCCESSFULLY FIND MY BROTHER… WELL, WHERE EVER HE IS.”

He was on the outskirts of Snowdin, scavenging for any signs of his brother. It’s surprisingly difficult to find a short skeleton wearing yellow and blue jacket, especially when he was notorious for never leaving tracks in the snow.

“SANS? SAAAAANS?!” he cupped his hands around his mouth, trying to cover more with his booming voice. His galactic-themed scarf flew with the breeze, the sound of tiny footsteps catching him off guard. “OH? WOOWIE HUMAN! IS THAT YOU?”

It was. The small human he’s met before, the one who slyly evaded his puzzles and put him uneasy. It was the human that Undyne warned him about, yet he knew better. Not all humans are bad, right? He knew that, with enough help, anybody could develop a good heart!

“DID YOU MISS ME? IS THAT WHY YOU MANAGED TO CLEVERLY ENCOUNTER ME DURING MY BROTHER-SCOUTING DUTY?” he guessed, yet the tiny child only responded with silence. He waited for an answer, but the minutes of awkward tension got the best of him. “ARE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME THINKING OF CLEVER PUNS TO DISAPPOINT ME WITH? LIKE MY BROTHER SANS? PUNS THAT… I SO DEARLY MISS… OH JEEZ, PAPYRUS MISSING HIS BROTHER? UNHEARD OF… BUT… I DO EVER WONDER WHERE HE COULD BE-”

The child began to approach the tall skeleton, his speed increasing the closer he got.

“HUMAN? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED-STOP THAT, IT’S VERY WEIRD AND NOT LIKE YOU- PLEASE! LET ME FINISH MY-HUMAN, I INSIST!”

 

\- {Underswap} -

 

The short skeleton, with his blue scarf and boundless energy, was frantically trying to pry himself free from his taller brother’s arms, who was trying to hold him down.

“KHKFHVKIUEHKFBDKFA-”

“God, Sans, did you munch down on Gory’s cake?” Papyrus grunted out, annoyed that he was unable to smoke in peace. “Or…?”

“THE HUMAN! _____! I MUST SAVE HER AT ONCE! PAPYRUS, MY BROTHER, I KNOW THE WAY!” Sans insists, his body movement now blurs at this point as Papyrus struggled to keep himself up, arms firmly around the moving entity. “I WAS SHOWN THE WAY, I WAS! I REALLY WAS AND I MUST! FOR ALPHYS! FOR ASGORE! FOR YOU!” he hollered.

Papyrus grimaces at the thought, looking away. “She’s been long gone bro, let’s kick the bucket and forget about it-”

“LETMEGOPLEASEIKNOWTHEWAY-”

“Nah, can’t let ya’ get us in trouble again, s’good for me, but I’m done with Gory givin’ me a hard time ‘bout it, jackin’ and-”

“BROTHER! HEED MY WARNINGS AT ONCE!” his brother continued to bellow out, prompting Asgore to walk in on the scene. He gasped, rushing to Papyrus’ aid. Unlike the taller skeleton, Asgore could hold Sans easily with one mighty hand, gripping the gray shirt’s collar and letting Sans swish and struggle in the air.

“LETMEGOPLEASE-”

“He’s gone mad, sayin’ he got directions and advice from his friend ‘Error,’ tellin’ him how to get to, ya’ know, _____.” Asgore grew solemn, giving Sans a forgiving glance. 

“Patience is a good trait to master, Papyrus. I would recommend giving it a shot some time,” Asgore suggested, making Papyrus chuckle.

“Hey, Gory, you know it’s hard these days… uh, with the rebellion and shit-”

“LETMEGOANDYOU! BROTHER! CLEAN THAT FILTHY MOUTH OF YOUR’S WITH SOAP! AGAIN! OH WHEN WILL YOU LEARN THAT VULGARITY ISN’T TOLERATED FROM ME?!” the brother blurts out, pointing and glaring at his brother. 

Papyrus sighs, leaving the room with a weak gait. Asgore and Sans share glances, worried written all over them. 

 

\--

 

“W-wait, what?” you blurt out, mind clogged with everything sugarSans had just spat out to you. He nodded, patiently waiting for you to let it sink in. The two of you were sitting inside the Tem Shop, its owner outside socializing with the other Temmies. “It all sounds so… odd. It’s hard to believe it’s… I don’t know.”

“can’t blame ya’ for that,” he commented, admiring the cute nick-knacks being sold in the shop. “i got time, don’t hesitate to ask me to explain-”

“No, I understand,” you reply, baffled. “Just… it’s difficult. I can’t believe I did those things or I had those things and…”

You and sugarSans had only spent less than an hour talking, so he couldn’t explain to you everything, but what he did baffled you. He had begun his explanation with how the two of you met, as well as a summary of the time you’ve both spent together. It was all so vivid to him, a red slurry in his cheeks as he happily gushed out his favorite moments. But it wasn’t the same for you, not when you couldn’t recall them with the same sentiments he shared. It felt just like listening to your best friend explain their moments with someone else other than you… it was… odd. You couldn’t understand. And you wish you did.

He later switched the topic to a biography about you. Yes, he knew enough to be able to explain who you were in the surface, how you had fallen to the underground, the laboratory, even small tidbits of drama here and there, peppered along with your interactions with monsters. 

Alphys was a name that came up a lot. As well as Paige. 

One thing stood out to you, like a sore thumb, and it was his description of Sans, or what your past-self had nicknamed shitty Sans. He had only seen glimpses of him once or twice, so he couldn’t offer you a description of him, or anybody for that matter. 

It wasn’t until he got to the part where you began to leave the laboratory for other universes. A universe jumper, if you will. That’s where you started to get lost, unable to comprehend what sugarSans was saying. 

“ever wonder how the others are? if they’re anythin’ like me, they must be… uh, worried, you know. the friends you’ve made in other lands ‘n stuff,” he reminds you, making you grow solemn. If that was the case, they haven’t heard from you in more than a month, perhaps even more. You do truly wonder. 

You’re also finding it hard to believe that your pocket watch had the power to do such a thing. To take you everywhere.

“mind i show you how it works? the watch?” he suggests amidst your pondering. You weakly nod back, mindlessly handing him the pocket watch for him to study and clean with his sleeves. 

It’s ironic. According to him, you’re the one who has shown him and told him everything he knows. By fate, now he’s regurgitating everything back at you, teaching you what you were once so knowledgeable in. 

And you have the biggest urge to hug him to the ground, but you forbade yourself from it.


	47. “hey hey, bud, pal, cheer up, will ya’? none of this is your fault… you know that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy are things happening here. Trust me, good reasoning behind my absence yesterday (yet again) and it was solving sudden issues with my University and registration. (Silly me decided to register a tad bit too late). ANY OF YOU GOING TO USF? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
> 
> However I can't promise absences will be infrequent.

Time passed by far too quick with sugarSans, you thought, as the Sans you’re familiar with, tall and with his signature golden pupil, appeared to have returned. You rejoiced at this, anxious about his whereabouts and where he had gone as you stood up and turned to face his approaching body.

Dust particles spotted his outfit, dirty snow smudged over his denim pants and white turtleneck undershirt. SugarSans rapidly stood up as well, uneasy at the sight of this newcomer. 

“hey, back so soon?” Sans mumbled, halting in front the two of you. SugarSans was inches shorter than you, and this tall skeleton made him look like a dwarf. “thought you would return to where ever you came from-”

“You know him?” you blurted out, surprised by this. You were under the assumption that they never met each other, but his reaction and calm demeanor showed otherwise. Then again, he’s usually calm and collected. 

You glance between the two, implying that you wanted an answer. SugarSans grew nervous, unafraid to show his emotions to the world, unlike the golden-pupil Sans, who seems to keep them bottled up with him everywhere he threads. 

“remember when you were rescued from the castle?” SugarSans began, glancing at you. You nodded, prompting him to continue. “i showed up as soon as my phone alarmed me of your functionin’ watch. dunno how, but that watch was… workin’ again. and am i glad i did, you were in such a bad shape that i… it was difficult,” his voice softened, unable to meet his towering version that was standing before him.

Hearing his words satisfied you somewhat, making you glance at the taller of the two skeletons, who looked indifferent, his pupil meeting your own. “hm? got a question?” 

“So you already know about me traveling around different places and meeting different versions of you and all?” you try to sum it up, unable to believe your own words. He kneels down and pets a curious Temmie, who happily purred and mumbled mumbo-jumbo. 

“yeah.”

SugarSans tugged at your sleeve apprehensively. “don’t got much time, we gotta figure out how to make that watch work to return you home.” The kneeling skeleton abruptly stood up, staring past the two of you, alert.

Without a second to waste he rips open a portal behind him, side stepping to allow you to have a full view of it. “we need to go now,” he urged before he whistled out a short, odd tune. Startled you watch, meanwhile sugarSans inched closer to you in anticipation of whatever Sans had managed to catch up on. 

Suddenly all the Temmies rushed towards the three of you, making you yelp and nearly fall back if it wasn’t for sugarSans preventing it from occurring. The Temmies, unorganized and chaotic, rush into the portal. 

“got a death wish or somethin’?” Sans snaps you out of whatever state you were in, making you take a glance behind you. There was nothing extraordinary or different from before, causing you to ponder about what Sans could have seen to rip open a door all of a sudden. 

“You don’t need to return home? You’ve been away from it for a while,” you question your sugary friend, who hesitated to answer, eyes unable to meet yours. After a minute of silence, you don’t repeat the question, watching the Temmies force themselves through the portal without any order.

At last, the final Temmie, the one with a graduation cap, leaps through, but before doing so they stare at Sans. A message was given through that stare, you believe, for Sans positions himself behind the two of you and glares at the distance beyond.

“what’s the holdup?” he demands, impatient as his pupil begins to glow. 

“N-nothing, let’s go!” you respond, jerking sugarSans’ blue and pink fluff with you through the portal. In a matter of seconds you were no longer in Temmie Village, but a laboratory. It was familiar, your mind fighting to recall where you have seen this before.

Sans leaped through the portal, dominant hand glowing before he closed it abruptly. 

The Temmies were making a commotion inside the laboratory, the mess of broken English and squeals dominating the room. Even the opening of the elevator doors was unable to be heard, your eyes only noticing due to the reflection of light that it gave off. The yellow reptilian inside it jumped from fright, the Temmies rushing in to greet the scientist with glee and unlimited joy.

Sans snapped his fingers, calming the Temmies to mere whispers. 

“Are you like… their boss? Somebody they really respect?” you asked him, curious about his status to these adorable creatures. Alphys, the scientist, scrambled herself out of the group of cat-dog hybrids, nervous and speaking gibberish. 

“story for another day,” he smirked at you before giving all his attention to Alphys, who was panting after her struggle to get out of the ball of Temmies. “what’s the update?”

“B-b…. b-bad,” she pants out, leaning against her book-covered desk. When she processed that Sans wasn’t the only… Sans in the room, she let out a small shriek, falling down and staring at the ceiling. SugarSans rushed to her aid, fanning her with a small, torn book.

“yeah, uh, we got catchin’ up to do alphs,” Sans says, looming over the dizzy scientist. SugarSans gave you a helpless look, not knowing how to handle nor register the events that were occurring. You returned the same glance, shrugging and keeping watch of the Temmies. 

 

\--

 

Sans and Alphys spent a good amount of time talking behind the metallic door, away from earshot from curious individuals such as yourself. Meanwhile you and sugarSans were trying to figure out how to make the pocket watch work. It was turned on, yes, but it wasn’t functioning right. Trinkets here and there gave sugarSans ideas as to how to fix it, but every one of them proved to be futile. The hearts were glowing behind the cracked crystal glass, all seven colors lit with what sugarSans claims is magic, but nothing else appeared to work. 

The gem that was supposed to be used for communicating refused to open the holographic window. The gauge was broken, always pointed closest to the ground below due to gravity. The lid was ripped off and somewhere else, making you grow hopeless as the hours ticked by.

“we’ll get this… sure of it,” sugarSans tried to reassure you, bolts around him and with a lollipop deep in one of his cheeks, which adorably popped out. You didn’t question the fact that he had a skull and not bendable skin, already used to the fact that these skeletons were unlike any human skeleton.

“It’s okay, I’ve already accepted my fate down here,” you muttered, looking up at the ceiling. “I haven’t recovered my memory, I’ve met monsters like you who say I know, but recall nothing of, and… and in the short time I’ve been here, I’ve made a mess of things.” You try to fight the tears, trying to keep locked the horrid images of last night, or was it this morning?

SugarSans cursed silently as the watch refused to work under his hands, the candy-themed man determined to conquer the device at all costs. You, on the other hand, have given up long before. Instead you were reliving your memories of Papyrus, the one with the antique scarf and sophisticated glasses. The one who was patiently easing you into the underground, always there for you, unlike Sans. 

Then a question arose amongst the distress, making you look up at your friend with wonder. “You know, if you said that a lot of the Sans you’ve seen, as well as my old self, are similar in everything, down to the height… how come the one I know, well, in here,” you point to the door, his eyes following your signals, “is… well, different? He’s nothing like you, more like the opposite, and he’s ridiculously tall. You’re shorter than me and much less intimidating.”

“uh… well, uh.” He stops, giving you a quizzical look as he ponders about your question. “good question. dunno. first time i’ve seen a taller version of me.” You pout, impatient to know the answer. He gently places the watch on the ground, sliding over to be beside you. “hey hey, bud, pal, cheer up, will ya’? none of this is your fault… you know that.”

That hit the spot. 

“Yes, yes it is!” you snap back, unable to accept his words. “It’s my fault I somehow ended up here. I don’t know how, I don’t know why, and I certainly know it wasn’t a good thing I did. The moment I fell down here I only ended up being a bother to Sans, Papyrus, and Frisk, and well I thought maybe it was for a reason, you know? That I fell down here? Or teleported, whatever the hell happened, but… no.” You were no longer saddened, but angered by your own actions. “It was my own damn fault Papyrus died,” you growled at yourself, hands digging through your hair as you look down. “It’s my fucking fault, it’s mine, if only I wasn’t found by them, it’s just, UGH-”

“____, hey-”

You stood up and left the premises, hands in your pockets as you glared straight ahead, mind clogged with the insults you were preparing for yourself. SugarSans scrambled to his feet, standing hopelessly by the watch on the ground, his eyes begging for you to understand. But you didn’t, because you knew he wasn’t there. He wouldn’t know how it felt like to watch somebody you were finally opening up to just… disappear like that. Worst of all, you watched. You could have helped, but you watched, because you were a coward. 

Surprisingly he didn’t follow you as you made your way out of the laboratory. 

Once outside you stare out into the distance, hot tears beginning to cloud your vision. 

Your memory is still trying to piece itself together, your mind confused by what you’re beginning to learn about yourself. 

Oh shit, maybe you were too confused as your mind begins to feel dizzy, body weak. 

Thump.

 

\--

 

The malnutrition and injuries were getting the best of you, and if you kept ignoring your own health, you’re bound to faint again. Fortunately, this time, sugarSans checked up on you. Thanks to him now you were snuggly under layers of blankets, a thermometer unlike anything you’ve seen digging into your cheek.

SugarSans shot up from the seat he was sitting in, no longer snoozing beside you. “h-hey, hey! you awake! feelin’ alright there? you caught me by surprise with them fainting spells you’ve been pulling off,” he spoke out, his hands laying on the bed you were on. He looked concerned, eyes frantically checking your condition. 

You sit up, but someone’s hand stopped you from proceeding. It wasn’t sugarSans’, who was looking at the thermometer. Upon shuffling and turning, your eyes meet a golden pupil, eye socket almost closed as the taller of the two Sans’ glanced down at you from above. 

“you better bet you’re stayin’ here for the night,” he muttered, hand still holding your chest down against your will. Defeated, yet sore, you lay back down, eyes switching glances between the two skeletons. “can’t handle another damn death.”

“your temperature is down, if that’s what you call it,” sugarSans pipes up, relieved. “it was on a sugar high last hour.”

You glanced at Sans, his lone pupil distant and looking through you. He wasn’t looking at you, you could tell, but most likely pondering something in that thick skull of his. 

You better give him some nickname to refer to yourself in the future. SugarSans is well, sugarSans. At first you didn’t see the point in this, but thinking back to the story he’s given you, there are others like them out there. 

You’ll figure it out eventually.

“Did I faint?” you asked to nobody in particular, making the two skeletons face your way. SugarSans nodded solemnly, meanwhile the other began to walk away, hands in his denim pockets. 

“but hey, we’ll take care of ya’, so don’t worry ‘bout it,” your sugary pal kept speaking to you while your eyes were still glued to the taller skeleton, his skeletal hands with holes prying the door open without effort. “even if we, uh, dunno anything ‘bout how the human body works, heh. it’s been difficult, but gasterSans knew a bit about it, thankfully.”

You blink, surprised by the name he’s used. “GasterSans?” 

SugarSans quickly slid his chair over to the bed side, making himself comfortable. “yeah, he told me to call him that. guess it makes it easier on us to have code names and stuff. makes it easier for me too, ya know,” he explains. You still retained the quizzical look, reciting the name in your head.

“So why gasterSans? Kind of funny for him to use two names in one, really,” you pondered out loud. SugarSans shrugged.

“dunno, beats me.”

You lift the blankets over your face, making your friend flinch from the sudden action. “I just want to hide here forever. Don’t feel like doing anything,” you admit, feeling lethargic. “It’s… it’s everything. I feel like I’ll put you all in danger.” 

“no no! don’t say that!” he blurts out, pulling the covers down, away from your face. You shift your body away from him, ignoring his words. “gastersans told me about it,” he mumbled, your eyes widening at the revelation. You turn around, facing him and giving all your attention to the sugary pal before you. He didn’t look comfortable with the topic, his pupils gazing down at his colorful shoes. 

“That’s exactly why I’m beginning to feel like… like I’m an enemy. A danger to all of you. Think about it.” You were determined to convince him, the sweet skeleton who looked so familiar to you, and one your heart yearned for despite having met him not too long ago. It’s an odd feeling, one that, at the same time, makes you feel bittersweet if you lingered too long on to it. “It was because of me that… that…” you cover half of your face with the soft blankets, ashamed of what you’re about to say, “…that Papyrus is dead. Sans’ brother, the one who helped me for so long, who was so nice to me and I was beginning to get attached to… he dies. Ever since I’ve just been feeling out of it, you know? Sans doesn’t look affected by it, but I bet that he secretly hates me for it.”

“don’t say those things, you know it ain't true,” he responded weakly, leaning down to get on to your eye level. “he may not have been there to see what happened, but, he sure knows it wasn’t you, i can tell you that much.”

You close your eyes, turning around and facing the opposite way. “How would you feel if you walked in on your brother’s own death? To see him no longer there, but to see me, helpless and crying. If nobody else was there, even I would have convinced myself that it was my own fault.”

“but it wasn’t,” he assures you, making you gulp your own words. “do you know why i say that? because i’ve known you for months, and i know you aren’t capable of doing anythin’ like that-”

Somebody knocked on the door, halting sugarSans’ words.

“_____? Are you there?” Frisk’s voice reached your ears, making you sit up immediately. SugarSans was startled, trying his best to keep you in bed.

“hey, don’t think you should be movin’ that fast-”

“It’s Frisk!” you shoot back, leaping out of bed. He was helpless to stop you, too passive and tender to go against anything you say.

You open the door, kneeling down the next second to greet the young human in your arms.

“_____!”

“Frisk! It’s been so long, and I’m so sorry I haven’t said goodbye before I disappeared… last time I did it was, a day or two ago?” you try to think back, but Frisk’s hug made you feel warm once again. A larger monster was behind the human, making you yelp and nearly fall backwards from the shock, not having noticed the looming figure. It was Toriel.

“Oh dear, I apologize, I didn’t mean to-OH!” her eyes widened at the sight of sugarSans sitting in the far back of the room, his figure quickly approaching. “My, I was told there would be another who had a similar appearance to Sans, but dear, I wasn’t prepared to see such a different… Sans,” she admits, taking in the view of the colorful version of Sans. 

“heh, yeah, i get that a lot,” he smiles, blushing. “the name is sans.”

“Hello… Sans,” she struggles with the concept, still in awe at his color palette. “I’m Toriel, a pleasure to meet you in person. I’ve heard about you from… Sans.” She narrows her eyes at herself, unable to understand her own words as she tries to figure out how to differentiate the two when it came to their names.

“you can call me sugarsans. heard it’s easier on others.” She agrees, smiling in return. You stand up and step out of the way, blushing as you apologized for your rude actions. 

“No need to apologize,” she reminds you, allowing Frisk to run into the room first before she takes the first step. “It is I who should be apologizing for interrupting your peace and quiet. I’m fully aware you’re resting and trying to regain your health after the incident.” You close the door gently, leaning against it as sugarSans distracts Frisk. “But… there is something we must discuss. In private. If you will,” she asks of you, making you grow nervous. You take in a deep breath, sugarSans giving you a concerned look from afar. 

After a few seconds, you nod. “I’m okay with that, I’ll go outside-”

“nope,” sugarSans intervenes, scooping up Frisk playfully. “we’ll get out of your hair for ya’, call us when you’re all done.” You fidget with your hands behind your back, secretly wanting for the two individuals to stay behind. 

They leave the room, closing the door and leaving you to fend for yourself with Toriel, the queen you had been nervous of to meet not too long ago.

This wasn’t what you had in mind when it came to meeting her. 

A minute or two has passed since the livelier souls left, making your body grow cold from the trepidation that lay ahead.


	48. “_____? Human? Is something the matter? Did Error’s good looks scare you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the title may imply, yes, we do have a newcomer (only one newcomer) into the mess of things.
> 
> Until the story seems to chill out a bit, there won't be any new faces... when it comes to introducing a new universe or so.
> 
> ENJOY!

You shuffled over to your bed, politely smiling at the Queen, who was giving you a forced smile. It made you grow anxious, knowing how she was able to rule over all, even Sans himself, or so you believed. You were unsure as to how royalty in the underground worked compared to the surface, where it had long been gone.

“My child, please listen to what I have to say,” she begged, face beginning to soften. This took you off guard, not having expected her calm demeanor to quickly drop. “Stay where you are, please?”

You nod, puzzled. 

Suddenly her body drops to the ground, eyes dull and glazed, a loud thud making you jump from shock. 

You don’t know what’s happening.

And that’s when you saw it, when you shifted as you tried to inch closer, the small fine threads going through her chest and into the ceiling, as if a puppeteer had given up on his act. 

 

\--

 

“you damn fool,” gasterSans growled at sugarSans, immediately making his way down the hallway, his cigar having been dropped. Frisk rushed towards his taller friend, but only for a hand to grasp the collar of his sweater.

“stay here bud, i’ll check it out, alright?” sugarSans mumbled to Frisk, who pouted. He crossed his arms in defiance, hesitant to agree. “sorry to disappoint, but we got somethin’ to check out, and can’t have you taggin’ along this time,” he continued to explain, not wanting to leave the child in his current state.

Meanwhile gasterSans teleported in front of the room you were in, the horrible thoughts of death bouncing throughout his mind. Having heard sugarSans say Toriel wanted to speak to her was one thing, but the sugary skeleton wasn’t aware that the Queen and King were back at the castle, handling the odd phenomena amongst the townspeople. 

Toriel shouldn’t be here. She can’t be in two places at once. 

“_____!” he hollered before attempting to rip open a door into the other side. However, he was unable to teleport inside due to an unknown force, which would make him bounce back to where he was at every attempt. As a result he began to slam his shoulders against the door, but It wasn’t opening. It was frustrating him. “_____!” he calls once more. 

He tried again and again, legs, arms, body, all. The door refused to budge, making him believe that there was an entity at the other side. This made him grow uneasy. 

“god damn, the hell do i do now?”

He summons a gaster blaster and tears it down, only to flinch at the sight of white on the other side. The edges of where the gaster blaster had torn through were pixelated, numbers slowly being shed. 

“is she okay?!” sugarSans yelled from the distance of the hallway, his voice snapping gasterSans out of his trance. He grits his teeth and leaps into the void, golden pupil scanning the area for any signs of you.

He used his gaster blasters to leap from area to area, unable to land due to the lack of ground and material in the white void of nothingness. 

SugarSans froze at the sight of where the room you once resided in, his heart plummeting at the sight. A chill was sent from the tip of his toes to his throat, gaping at the white canvas before him.

He opened his mouth in terror, but nothing escaped. He was at a loss of words, dread entering his body.

But, the sight of gasterSans’ figure leaping inside the void made his fear grow into determination, his mind set on looking for his dear friend.

“what is this?!” sugarSans spoke out, approaching the edge of the floor, which was slowly being shed off into numbers, codes, and pixels. “never seen anything like it.”

GasterSans kept scanning the void, looking for any other form of life or object, but to no avail. Shooting yellow beams and bones at the void gave no results either, making him grow perplexed, yet frustrated that he’s helpless. 

SugarSans glanced up at his acquaintance, distraught. “let me help-”

“don’t let anything happen to frisk,” gasterSans interrupts, glaring down at the sugar-coated fellow. “don’t let his sight leave your own.”

SugarSans objected, angering the tall skeleton. “naïve fool,” gasterSans mumbled, trying to slice and pummel the area around him. It had no effect, again. “you know nothin’ of what’s going on here. not one.”

 

\--

 

There was a vile taste in your mouth as you witnessed the world around you pixelate into that of a cozy room. It was familiar to you, the scent of apple cedar and honey entering your nostrils. 

“H-hello? Sans? Anybody?” you managed to force out, confused and bewildered. You remain in your place under the covers, body refusing your commands and terrified of the sudden change in setting. 

“hey,” a deep, yet juvenile voice rang inside the room, making you tremble at the sound. Your eyes darted everywhere, yet kept blinking at any slight movement. 

You felt like a child terrified of what lurks in the shadows, unable to sleep as paranoia and fear soaked them. It was horrifying. 

Your body begins to inch away from the trepidation, the head of the bed firmly pressed against your back as your eyes try to understand what they’re seeing. It looked familiar to you, but you couldn’t put your finger on it.

There was a red sweater lying on the other bed opposite from you, head beginning to pulsate itself into a headache at the sight.

“Wait.” What if. What if this was him again… him. The one with the bloody eyes and twisted smile. The one with the flickering pupils that screamed terror and murder. “What do you want from me? What did I do? What did Papyrus ever d-do?” you squeaked near the end, crestfallen at the memories of his body turning into dust.

There was no response from the entity, prompting you to kneel, trying to aim for higher ground. “Who is this? Why are you back? What did I do?! What did I ever do?! You had no right to take away his life! He didn’t do anything-”

Your heart suddenly felt cold, making you abruptly stop. The sensation of something sharp and thin was being felt around your heart, no, soul. It made you freeze, unable to understand what you were feeling.

There was a reflection coming off of one of the strings, which, on closer inspection, were coming off of your… chest. Just like the Queen. 

“No… no no no stop! No!” you shrieked, pulling and tugging away at the strings, only to let out a cry of pain as they clenched whatever they were holding, sending sharp stings of pain throughout your entire body. It’s as if every tug was sending a pulsating chill, one you’ve never felt before. 

A dark spot in the ceiling slowly enlarged itself, a small bump being pushed outwards. Your hands continued to try to pry off the strings despite the pain, yet every sting made you tremble and whimper. 

“how can he care so much for a squirming human being?” the voice continued on, making you question your sanity. “if he hadn’t been so persistent, so endearing… i would have already murdered you and everybody you love-”

“It’s… you,” you breathed out, trying to understand the situation at hand. “No… your voice isn’t the same… but it has to be.” Was it somebody else you’ve met? Somebody from the past?

“…let me finish!” they complained from the shadows, shutting you up. Your hands let go of the strings, now clasping each other and protecting your chest from whatever entity was in the darkness beyond. 

“P-please… I don’t know what’s happening, let me go, what did I do… I don’t understand-”

“my god.”

“W-what?” you stuttered, trying to pin point their location, but their voice was everywhere at once. Finally, a silhouette had formed to your right, giving you something to look at and match their voice with. “I’ll give you whatever you want, just don’t hurt anybody, please,” you say, voice quivering with fear. 

They step out of the shadows, making you gawk at their appearance. It was literally another Sans. 

“Do… I know you?” your fear slowly diminishes, making the entity flinch from the change of tone. “If I do um… I’m sorry for how I acted, maybe that’s how you are it’s… I lost my memory, I wouldn’t know, it’s a mess it’s… oh gosh, I’m a mess too-”

Parts of their body kept glitching in and out of existence, making you halt in your words from wonder. You forced yourself into the mindset that this being could be somebody you know, although your quivering and trembling voice showed otherwise. 

“uh, we never met.”

This made your fear return, eyes widening and hands dropping down on to your lap. 

They wore a black jacket with a nightmare blue hood, bloody red shirt, and their face was worth speaking of in nightmares; a yellow, toothy grin with bloody eyes and sky blue tear trails running down their cheeks. 

This was nothing like any of the Sans’ you met, in fact, it’s as if their color schemes were inverted, showing this nightmare. 

“hey, do a flufflin' favor for a bud, won’t ya? got one for you,” their voice was no longer echoing inside the room, now emanating from this one monster. You didn’t budge, returning to your state of panic and horror. “uh… whatever, but anyway, got a very very very good friend who wants to see ya’, and he wouldn’t let me kill you so...”

You watched, eyes refusing to blink as they tried to get a sense of what they were seeing.

"...ugh, the blueberry never lets me kill anything, period. the fluffer always makin' me a fuckin' softie, like what-" he halts upon setting his gaze on to your figure, coughing out vulgarity under his breath.

He suddenly pixelates out of view, making you gasp and quickly dart your eyes around the room. The strings were still tugging inside of you, making you whimper every time you attempted to make any movement. 

The black entity pixelates right in front of you. “be lucky you’re not dead.” You open your mouth, but no scream escaped. You were hoarse, even the words themselves were unable to bring themselves to leave. 

He leaps out of the bed and on to the floor beside you, stretching and finally revealing his dark, skeletal fingers. Blue strings were visibly connected to the tip of his fingers, their color the exact same one to that of the reflections of the strings from your chest. 

“so… you’ll treat my very very very good friend nicely, won’t ya? would be a shame to see your pretty-self perish, ain’t that right?”

You gulp and shift away from the dark-toned Sans in front, terrified as parts of his being kept flickering and emanating the sound of static. It felt unreal, as if you were in a very vivid dream, but you should be accustomed to the fact that nothing in the underground is normal… and you cringe at the thought of worse monsters out there that could easily triumph over the error standing before you.

No words escaped your mouth, unable to speak as he awaited your answer, his trembling pupils admiring the threads that were leaking out of his fingers. 

“already you’re pissing me off, say somethin’ already-”

“ERROR!” a quirky voice blurted out from the other side of the walls, startling the dark entity. The voice appeared familiar to you, prompting you to hold your head from the ensuing headache. 

“D-do you know a Sans who wears a duffle coat? Eye flicker with colors?” you quickly ask under the pain of the headache, hoping this ungodly entity knew. But alas, all he did was glare at you, refusing to give you an answer. “Ah… well, alright-”

“IS THAT YOU _____?!?! I AM SO RUDE, OH MY GOD, WAIT FOR THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT SANS-”

“i’ll be watchin’ you from the shadows,” the glitch threatened you, his menacing figure soon pixelating out of existence the moment the door was slammed open. An adorable, blue-themed, blue-eyed Sans fell down and caught your attention. 

Then there was silence. The threads were no longer holding on to your heart, or soul, making you grow relieved yet bewildered. 

“DID ERROR SAY HAI?!?! DID HE!?!?” the blueberry enthused, shooting back up and rushing to your bedside. His happy expression then switches to that of confusion. “Where did this bed come from… did ERROR NOT LET YOU MOVE FROM YOUR BED?!? I TOLD HIM NOT TO DO THAT, THAT SCOUNDREL!”

You cling on to the fabric covering you, unable to recall who this individual was despite the air of familiarity he gave to you. Your body tenses up, cowering away from the overstimulated skeleton, who stops to process this.

“_____? Human? Is something the matter? Did Error’s good looks scare you?” he questioned, leaning over the bed to get a closer look at your perplexed face. You back away just as quickly as he gets on to the bed-

You fall off the bed, backwards, back landing awkwardly on to the wooden floor below. Sans was still on the edge of the bed, smiling widely as he towered over you. A red flush covered your face, feet slinking away from the edge of the bed and back to your body, eyes looking away due to the shame you were demonstrating. 

“Are you so excited that you can’t even show it??? Is that it!?” he was assuming the best out of the scenario, making you glance back at him. “My friend Error warned me of how excited you might be that you won’t even say a word! But I told him that, lies! I will be the one to break the silence! There will be no silence when I’m present!”

You scramble to your feet, dusting and fixing your clothes. Sans, who was unlike any Sans you’ve met as of yet, doesn’t break away from your eyes for one second, his smile unchangeable throughout the conversation. 

Finally, he rolls out of bed and to the edge, happily leaping out and bounding towards the door. Your hands hide behind your back, feet stuck together, body cold and afraid. “Do not worry! I know a thing or two about Error, he’s a very awesome friend and partner in crime!” he began to gush out, stars replacing his pupils. “He’s the one who saved you from the terrible and bad place you were in! You should be happy!”

“W-wait what?” you respond with a stutter, beginning to realize this might be the individual the dark entity was speaking of. This was the “very very very good friend” he was warning you about.

Which reminds you, he threatened you stating that he was in the shadows, watching nearby. Your eyes dart towards the darkest parts of the room you resided in, trying not to tremble from the thought of his pixelated body reappearing near you.

“_____? Why are you acting funny?” the overjoyed skeleton’s joy slowly drains out, beginning to worry over your condition. He approaches you, making you flinch and take a step back. “Did you see very scary things where you were and now you’re paranoid? Is that it? Don’t worry then!” he pumps his hands on his chest, catching your attention. “I have the necessary combat skills and qualifications to be of service to you. I am capable of protecting a mere human being!”

“Are you swapSans?” you suddenly say, remembering the conversation you’ve had with sugarSans over the different Sans’ you’ve met. This skeleton seems to fit swapSans perfectly.

The skeleton snickered, returning to his happy state. “Call me the MAGNIFICENT SANS! But… swapSans is okay too, but it sounds weird. Magnificent Sans compliments my outstanding physique,” he boasts. 

Your doubts and fear start to fade away as you slowly start to catch on to what was occurring. Thankfully you had a conversation over your past with sugarSans, otherwise you would have been confused as to why this adorable monster was treating you like a comrade.

Yet, you were still confused. You don’t know where you are, where both sugarSans and gasterSans were, the difference between the duffle coat and the black entity are, and if you were capable of pretending to know swapSans. 

Fuck it, everything was confusing. What the hell was happening. Why wasn't it as simple as "going to work, studying, college, etc.?"

“I… I lost my memory,” you blurt out, causing swapSans to freeze in his steps. “I don’t want to pretend I know you, because I don’t. I just… I remembered your name, but I lost my memory, so if I act different well… now you know,” you warn, not wanting to put yourself through the act of putting on a façade. 

He stops to ponder about it, it seems, as he places a finger on his chin and looks right through you, quizzical. You break eye contact, unable to look at him without a sense of guilt, recalling that you had left these friends to hear nothing of you for a month or so. 

“That… is a very bad thing! I didn’t know the terrible place you were in was… that terrifying. You must have not wanted to remember about it, so you lost your memory, right?” he tried to guess. You didn’t respond, unable to think back to the events that just occurred. “Yes! That must be it!” he claps his hands together, making you jump. “That explains it all! Yes! Do not fret! Do not worry! I will be your friend! I will help you make new memories to replace the bad ones, even if my brother Papyrus’ jokes are included, so that you won’t stop thinking about me or my friends.”

You smile for the first time during this visit, trying to be an optimist about this odd situation. SwapSans doesn’t hesitate to hold the door wide open for you as you slowly exit the room, like an animal who is terrified of shadows and everything that moves.

A tall skeleton meets your glance down the hallway, his appearance suddenly bringing back a flood of memories.

“P-Papyrus?” you croak out, unable to resist the happiness flowing through you as memories return from this period of time.


	49. “Do you like _____ too?”

SwapPapyrus never broke your gaze, baffled himself that he was seeing you, in person, and having heard his name being called. His hands were in his jacket’s pocket, pupils focused on your physique. 

“BROTHER! BROTHER!” Sans bellows out, halting right beside you in order to extend his arms to show you off proudly. “You seeeeeee? Error is NOT imaginary! He even saved _____ from the terrible place she was in! He isn’t weird either!”

“My lord,” Papyrus mumbled out, unable to accept that you were standing in front of him. He quickly approaches you, expressing both skepticism and worry. Sans proudly remained in his stance, beaming with pride and success. “You weren’t kiddin’ sans… shit is real-”

“WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT USING SUCH VULGARITY?!” Sans suddenly snaps, tensing at the sound of a curse word. “DON’T CURSE AROUND OUR FELLOW GUEST AND FRIEND!” His hands gingerly fall on your shoulders, eyes barely peeping out from behind them and glaring at Papyrus with a comical effect. “I don’t want your poison to seep through to _____ too!”

You stand there, taking in the flood of memories that were returning to you. The adorable evil Temmie, Asgore wearing Toriel’s clothes, faint silhouettes, tacos and burritos, tears streaming down someone’s face, more silhouettes against a starry night, and finally, the broken vase from before.

In that moment you felt a piece of you return. Although it wasn’t much, you were now aware of the fact that, yes, there were several Sans' you knew, and this Papyrus, for some odd reason, stuck out to you. 

“Hey… hey, you there?”

“LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID! YOU SCARED HER WITH YOUR VULGARITY!” Sans shoots out, trying to squeeze your cheeks to wake you out of your blank state. This makes you wince and yelp when he pinches a bit too firmly, leaving red marks on your cheeks. Papyrus snickers, causing Sans to elbow him roughly. 

You gingerly feel for the red marks Sans had left behind, pouting when touched. “I… I don’t know what happened,” you begin to say, finally meeting their glances. “One second I had no memory of either of you, and then… seeing you, Papyrus… suddenly I start to remember things.” Before Papyrus could open his mouth to respond, his brother sticks out his finger for attention.

“Wow! Did my presence wake up the amazing memories we made together?!”

“And whom are we speaking to?” a louder voice asked, only for the sound of spilled tea and fallen silverware to snap the three of you out of wonder. It was Asgore, whom you barely recalled much about, but enough to know who he was and how kind he has treated you. “Is… Sans. Papyrus. I demand an explanation, why is _____ standing right before me?”

Sans looked crestfallen, as if he had broken a rule. Papyrus, on the other hand, casually walked over to the large goat. “Can we chat outside, Gori?” The king nodded hesitantly, giving you a look filled with skepticism before making his way out. 

Sans waited until the entrance of the house was slammed shut before bursting out in excitement, squishing his arms to his chest as he thumps the ground. “You have NO idea how glad I am to see my friend return! I was afraid you were gone on vacation like the rest of my friends, but… no! When I found out you weren’t on vacation, but a scary and terrible place, I HAD to beg my dear friend Error for help! I had to!” he explained rapidly, making you try to register his words at an incredible speed. 

“Who told you I was in a terrible place?” you ask whilst trying to find a place to sit, only to be disappointed that there were no chairs nearby. 

“OOOooooh human, your listening skills have been affected too?!? Oh no! I must fix that! I think carrots can increase one’s listening skills? Or was it eyesight? Oh bonedoozles, I forgot!” he trails off, beginning his own monologue as he paces back and forth. You lean against the wall, sliding down out of exhaustion. Sans plops himself to the ground, eyes intently staring at you. 

On closer expression his eyes were actually quite breath taking. 

“Sorry, it’s just… everything is new? I’m trying to get used to this place is all-”

“Yes, I am aware, and I am going to change that for the better!” Sans intervenes, pulling out a journal of sorts. He opens the journal and places it on the ground between the two of you. Stick figures and sloppy handwriting was its only content, making you grow curious as to what he writes in this journal. “Journal Entry 107!” he announces to you rather loudly, making you flinch. “This is when I met a human (that’s you, by the way),” he whispers the last tidbit before continuing. “Ever since, we’ve been very good friends! Papyrus has been… jealous that you enjoyed my grand presence over his own lazy bones, bonely and-OH. GOD. DID I JUST-UGH!” he stops and face palms himself, irritated.

He was ashamed of having accidentally spit out a pun, making you smile once more, which made his expression drastically change to that of joy. “MWEHEHE! It’s working! You’re smiling as we speak, human!”

“Yeah, I am,” you admit, enjoying his company. The two of you continue to converse, the topic having been switched to that of his hobbies and days spent without your presence the entire past month. At times you would swear he gets too excited he begins to tremble, making you grow worried as to whether that was normal or not, but you’ve gotten used to it by the time the hour passes by, the non-stop chatter coming out of swapSans’ mouth calming you down from what just occurred. 

But amidst the conversation you couldn’t help but worry about the universe you were just ripped out of. Where they okay? Did that entity return over there? Are they okay?

You already miss them.

 

\--

 

“oh no… no no no no!”

“don’t think your yells will help us find _____ any faster, bud,” gasterSans mumbled out in response to sugarSans’ constant cries and monologue, Frisk snuggly sleeping inside sugarSans’ hood. He was worn out from having tried to find you, worried and torn that you were gone. 

Both skeletons migrated from city to city, and location to location, trying to find for any clues or tell-tale signs of you. SugarSans was willing to embarrass himself in order to find any hints, yet gasterSans took a more intimidating and cool approach, simply chatting and easily giving up when no information was leaked. 

SugarSans was rather aloof and naïve, according to the taller skeleton, constantly curious and innocent. This worried gasterSans, who was fully aware that the sugar skeleton wouldn’t last long in this universe. 

“so uh… got a question,” sugarSans began, happily supplying Frisk with his last reserves of chocolate mints. GasterSans glanced at him from the corner of his eye, a cigar in hand as he blew out a pile of smoke. Frisk didn’t mind the toxins, yet sugarSans cringed at it, always commenting on how putrid and damaging it was. 

“Mmmm this is so sweet!” Frisk blurts out, hugging his skeletal sugary pal even tighter. “Thank you sugar-sama!” 

SugarSans blushed at this, not used to being called such. Frisk had a plethora of nicknames for him, but for gasterSans he stuck to Sans or Uncle Sans. 

“heh, don’t eat too many, don’t wanna get a bad sugar rush, do ya’?” gasterSans cooed at the small human, who cringed at the memories he’s had of such. “forgot the question already?” he reminds sugarSans, who snaps out of his blushing. 

“oh uh, yeah! i already know ‘bout us having no leads and all,” he starts, fiddling with his fingers. “and we been spendin’ all our time tryin’ to figure out what the fluff happened, but,” he stops, giving the ground a longing look. GasterSans patiently waited for an answer, only to grow impatient after minutes of silence.

“what is it bud?” he muttered out, trying to get his comrade to spit it out. 

“i need some candy,” he finally revealed, making the taller skeleton sigh disapprovingly. He places the tip of his fingers on his forehead, trying to ponder the nearest location with sweets. “you already know ‘bout how like, uh, i need her watch to be workin’ and all in order to teleport to her in a jiffy, but i can’t, it ain’t lettin’ me and if i return to my homeland, then i won’t be able to return here or to her… can’t leave until i know the pocket watch is with her and workin’ right-”

“you know, for someone who is my alternate version, you’re a lost cause,” gasterSans sighs out, making the sugary skeleton flinch from the tinge of pain he received. “never thought i’d be a skeleton running on sweets… i don’t even like ‘em,” he explains, crossing his arms in front of his chest. SugarSans pulls out a lollipop, handing it to his taller friend. 

“try it out bro, it’s heaven, i swear-”

“i ain’t for sweets, it isn’t for me-”

“i insist-”

“gives me aches and chills, can’t be havin’ that stuff near me-”

“frisk told me you loved apple-flavored sweets the best,” he reveals, halting gasterSans in his tracks. He gives Frisk a tender look, who was happily suckling on the chocolate mint he’s received from sugarSans. 

“heh, guess you can’t go wrong there, right?” he mused out, making Frisk smile in joy. SugarSans kept switching glances between the two of them, unable to comprehend the love they share for each other. 

GasterSans finally accepts the lollipop, the cigar being replaced by the apple-flavored stick. The three of them continue down their journey, sugarSans halting any citizen in sight for any information while gasterSans explored the surroundings, looking for any odd phenomena. 

They didn’t waste any time, rushing from location to location using their abilities to teleport, covering more ground with the help of Frisk, whose charm was able to break even the coldest of hearts.

At one point gasterSans had stopped to rest on the edge of the river on Snowdin, eyes gazing into the distance. Frisk convinced sugarSans to investigate, already knowing that gasterSans constantly bottled his emotions up. While Frisk was fully aware of his thoughts, he truly wanted both skeletons to become friends. 

“oh is that so? heh… i dunno, gotta respect his privacy, don’t wanna upset him buddy,” sugarSans responded to Frisk’s request. The child pouted, tugging at the skeleton’s colorful shorts. “you can go talk to him, he trusts you a lot more.”

Frisk kept insisting, never leaving sugarSans’ side as the two walked around Snowdin. An adult rabbit-like monster eyed them, catching sugarSans’ attention. He rushed to her, regurgitating out the same story he’s given to every monster he’s crossed paths with. 

She shook her head, not recognizing the human. Her eyes refusing to break with the skeleton’s. Frisk began to feel uncomfortable around this tall rabbit, whose eyes were slowly losing life. SugarSans didn’t seem to notice, trying to continue the conversation to pry more information out. However, Frisk wasn’t having any of it.

“Sugar-sama, let’s go now, please,” Frisk demanded, pulling his sleeves away from the rabbit. It was in that instant that the rabbit’s eyes suddenly grow devoid of life, nails expanding to form claws. Frisk gasped and didn’t hold back as he pushed sugarSans out of the way of their slashing claws. The two of them dropped to the ground, Frisk quickly recovering and glaring at the monster. 

“h-hey, we have a child here-”

“Their souls are tainted,” Frisk began to explain, pulling out tough gloves and a knife out of their cell. SugarSans gawked at this, never having seen Frisk equip a knife before. “Go find Uncle Sans, he needs to know about this, please-” he was cut off by the ensuing slashes of the white rabbit, to which Frisk easily dodged. SugarSans nearly tripped, surprised and with a pounding heart. 

Frisk kept dodging the hungry claws, the rabbit’s fur bristling every time. 

SugarSans mustered enough courage to sprint over to Frisk when there was an opening, snatching him and teleporting out of the battle scene. They landed right beside gasterSans, harshly impacting the ground and catching the smoking skeleton off guard. 

“Uncle Uncle! There’s a real monster in Snowdin!” Frisk pipes up from the mess, tensing gasterSans. “It’s a rabbit lady!”

“got it, leave it to me kiddo-”

“let me go with you,” sugarSans adds in, yet gasterSans doesn’t stop in his tracks, teleporting into the location. “or… uh, guess not?”

“My Uncle is veeeery strong, don’t worry! He’s saved me many times!” Frisk tried to reassure sugarSans, who was unable to stay still. He scrambles to his feet, worried of his friend’s condition. However, he didn’t want to leave Frisk to fend for himself, even if he seems capable to be able to fare against such a creature. 

He’s never seen anything like it.

“what… is that? whatever the rabbit thing was? never seen anythin’ like it.” Frisk plops down on to the snow below, pulling out a stick in order to draw. SugarSans loomed over the child, panicking mentally for both you and gasterSans. 

“For a long time, my Uncles have been trying to figure out why the underground was acting funny. Weird doors to a scary place are now opening up everywhere, and… bad things happen. The doors are invisible too, only my Uncles can see them… it’s crazy!” Frisk gushed out near the end, proud of his uncles. SugarSans was growing paranoid, his pupils darting around for any signs of monsters ready to attack them. “And that rabbit lady must have been close to an invisible door… but my Uncle will save them! So it’s okay!”

“it isn’t o-okay, what if he gets hurt?” sugarSans panicked, pacing back and forth. Frisk puffed out his cheeks in protest, thinking otherwise. “i know your uncle is the… bomb. that he’s pretty cool and all and-uh,” he stops in his words, blushing when the sudden thought of knowing you were with gasterSans for a month crosses his mind. 

Who was he kidding? He was in love with you. He’s hinted and tried his best to show it through his actions, and he’s had no success. He’s been dying over the past month of your absence, and he wasn’t ready to lose you again, especially in such a mysterious way without answers. 

Much less could he stand the thought of knowing you had spent months with an alternate version of himself, one that was much better in every aspect. GasterSans was capable of defending both himself and you, much better looking, stronger in every aspect, able to withstand emotional barriers of any sorts, and even has Frisk to prove that he’s father material. 

What did he have that gasterSans didn’t have? Chocolate and sweets? He couldn’t compare. It’s for that reason he desperately wants to save you, to prove to you that he’s capable of not failing you in... something. 

“Do you like _____ too?” Frisk suddenly breaks sugarSans’ thoughts, causing him to blush profusely, light pink under his eye sockets. “I guess she really must be amazing for you and Uncle Sans to like her, right? I like her too, a lot!”

This broke his heart, making him grow flustered at himself. Frisk noticed, standing up and hugging sugarSans’ skeletal legs. “You and Uncle Sans must stay the same for a looong time… so when I grow up, I’ll marry whoever doesn’t end up with _____!” he enthused, yet unable to cheer up the broken-hearted skeleton.

He drops to his knees, a hand on the back of his skull. Frisk leaped and landed on his back, curious to know his thoughts. “who am i to complain, hm? should be happy with her as my friend,” he muttered, slowly leaning down. 

“Don’t give up! I’ll cheer for you both! But mostly my Uncle, because I love him more,” Frisk chirps out, making sugarSans snicker. 

“should be fine with this. after all, he’ll be a better pair for her. i can’t protect her, i’m pretty lousy at fights and protectin’ myself.” With that said he stands up, opening a portal to where gasterSans was. Frisk clings on to his back, excited to see some action and help his Uncle.

“Then I’ll teach you! I’m happy to!” Frisk responded to his worries before the two of them bounded into the portal, entering into Snowdin’s heavy atmosphere. GasterSans gave them a scorn look, not having expected them to appear into the battlefield. 

Frisk withdraws, not liking his lectures. 

“the hell are you doing here now?! did i not tell you to stay behind, frisk?!” gasterSans hollers out before blocking out a barrage of blackened leaves with a spinning bone. He quickly makes his way towards them, using gaster blasters to shoot down enemies that had already leaped and were bounding towards the two innocent souls. “this ain’t your battleground, get frisk out of here before you lose your sweet tooth-”

“i can’t let you do this by yourself,” sugarSans begged, guilt and shame in his quivering voice. “i want to save her too.”

“damn, is it this again? we’ll talk later,” gasterSans growled back, grasping sugarSans’ shirt and throwing the two of them out of the way of a beam of light, defending himself with a wall of thick bones immediately after the throw. “get the hell out of here! it’s a fuckin’ mess here.”

Frisk lifted his head out of sugarSans’ hood, surprised to see the amount of monsters that had been corrupted with the dark energy emitted through the invisible portals to whatever dark part of the world they were opening to. 

They were the normal citizens of Snowdin, but with their eyes glazed without life, mind controlled by whatever dark force had consumed them. GasterSans seems to be prone to this, as well as Frisk.

But not sugarSans. Frisk glanced down at his friend, only to lay his eyes upon a sugarSans’ whose own eyes were slowly being drained of life. “Sugar-sama, don’t do this! You’re too nice to turn evil, think about me and _____!” he smacks sugarSans silly, whose eyes return to life the moment he hears your name. He snaps out of it, struggling to his feet. 

He meets gazes with gasterSans, who nods and reassures him that everything is under control.

All the possessed monsters were heading towards gasterSans, which puzzled sugarSans as to why. Frisk didn’t bother to question, instead he takes out a soaked sandwich and stuffs his face. 

“I’m ready!” Frisk bellows out before leaping out of the hood, only for sugarSans to quickly wrap his arms around the child, not letting go as they impact the snow below, together. “Let me go! I want to help my Uncle!”

“it’s too dangerous kiddo, can’t let you do that-” he cuts himself short at the sting of intense pain Frisk was causing, biting his human teeth into sugarSans’ wrist. However, he keeps holding on, tearing up and refusing to let go. “c-can’t let you go, pal, bud… can’t-”

“to hell with this place,” gasterSans mumbled the moment he teleports beside the two of them, both hands grabbing one of their respective collars. He summons one last gaster blaster to shoot down most of the monsters before ripping open a door of his own, throwing himself, Frisk, and sugarSans into it. The door then closes shut. 

GasterSans had landed perfectly on to the new location, embracing Frisk and snuggling close. SugarSans wasn’t as lucky, sprawled on the ground and groaning from the harsh landing. Upon lifting his head, he gawked at the sight of where they were. 

GasterSans' residence.

“kinda like my gingerbread house… first time i’ve seen it,” sugarSans mumbled out, feeling nostalgic upon seeing a different version of his own house. GasterSans gently sets Frisk behind his shoulders, not wasting a second as he rummages through the pile of papers and books that were on the kitchen table. 

“heard you got some tech that can teleport you to where _____ is,” gasterSans spoke out, halting when he found a small steel box. Frisk slides down to grasp it, holding it close. SugarSans pulls out the aforementioned device, although it refused to work now. It can only mean that your pocket watch lost its power or was broken. He’s desperately hoping it’s the former and not the latter. 

“yeah, got it here. but even tho _____'s pocket watch might be alive and kickin', still can't get to her due to... whatever the case is. can't figure it out.”

“you think that maybe it’s because you don’t have enough magic?” gasterSans continues, making sugarSans grow puzzled. “couldn’t teleport past whatever barrier blocking me from entering the room _____ was in. maybe she’s still in whatever existence she’s in now… possibly with enough magic we can tear our way through.” SugarSans’ hopes began to lit, instantly jumping into whatever idea gasterSans was trying to say.

“let’s do it, now. it might work!”

GasterSans glanced over to sugarSans, hesitant and filled with doubts. His golden pupil fell down on to the device the skeleton carried, carrying a faint sheen on it. Frisk did the same, copying whatever his Uncle was doing in hopes that he would be just as cool and good looking as he was. 

“all right. not like we have many options left.”


	50. “uh, just so you know, i don’t have feelin’s for you or anything like that.”

GasterSans had left Frisk with Alphys and Undyne, unsure as to whether the teleportation with sugarSans will work or not. In fact, he was even more unsure as to whether they could teleport and stay alive during it, seeing as how they have never done such a thing in the past.

SugarSans was double checking everything on his small device, nervous about experiencing another failure. “heh… uh… hey, gettin’ second thoughts on this plan,” sugarSans mumbled out, fingers firmly grasping the device, holding on to dear life.

GasterSans knelt down to be at his eye level, elbows resting on his knees. “c’mon, we got a girl to save, right?” 

SugarSans glanced up, surprised to see his comrade smiling for the first time since they’ve met. This made him smile in return as the two stood back up, hesitating in placing both of their hands on the device, clasping the metal between their hands. 

“uh, just so you know, i don’t have feelin’s for you or anything like that,” sugarSans blurts out upon settling his eyes on both of their skeletal hands embraced around the device. GasterSans gave him a look filled with disdain, causing the sugary skeleton to whimper mentally. “j-just a heads up… in case you were wonderin’… and all… uh… yeah, let’s go.”

The two of them close their eye sockets, focusing their magic on to the device, which was trying its best to suckle everything it can get. SugarSans was accustomed to it, yet gasterSans began to feel odd the second he began.

Yellow threads of magic were being pulled away from gasterSans, hungrily, while sugarSans tried to focus on refining his magic on to the device, which was desperately trying to pinpoint your location. 

“so… heard you liked _____?” sugarSans suddenly comments, making gasterSans flinch and let go of the device abruptly. The sugar skeleton quickly regretted his decision, watching as the taller individual closed his eyesockets and pinched the bridge of his… skeletal nose. Or above it, at least.

“you’re a nosy one, aren’t you?” gasterSans finally responds after a moment of silence, making the sugary one blush awkwardly. “yeah, i have a thing for her, content? i admire the way she bites her lip. i admire the way she takes responsibility for her actions. i admire how… uh, yeah, lotta’ shit. never was gonna steal her away from you… cuz it’s pretty damn obvious you’re swooning over her.” SugarSans could only give him a glance of regret seeing his comrade divulge his feelings in a fit of impatience, his golden pupil showing frustration. 

“sorry ‘bout that, just… got curious and all-”

“world ain’t gonna end cuz i didn’t get the girl of my dreams, all right? you got to her first, you’re getting the first shots.” He pats sugarSans’ shoulder, returning to placing his hands on to the small device. “better not mess up your suave moves,” he chuckles, fully aware of how easily he tends to mess up his romanticism. 

SugarSans remained silent, blushing madly as he smiled eagerly to himself, eyes closed in joy. “it’s a nice feelin’, you know, to have a good friend that’s my alternate self and all.” GasterSans was taken aback at this, never one to sympathize with such strong emotions. 

“but before we take a trip to whatever,” gasterSans intervenes, his face solemn. “to ease up on your sugary bones, won’t be thinkin’ of being part of her life. not gonna lie, she was… scared, defenseless, and i got the urge to protect her and feel pity. guess that’s where everythin’ started, and i’m sure it ain’t a good thing.” He snickers for a few seconds before the device begins to glow a pale orange. “and ‘sides, still tryin’ to get over paps and junk.”

 

\--

 

Error was standing in the shadows, atop the canopy of the trees both you and swapSans were chatting over. Asgore had allowed you to leave the house only while being accompanied by the skeleton brothers, and even then you were prohibited to go as far as Snowdin. 

SwapPapyrus had wandered off, stating he had a job selling corn dogs that helped pay the bills. Meanwhile swapSans was eager to chat to you for hours on end, trying to get to know his friend better than he ever could.

SwapSans adored you. He thought you were a human unlike the last one who stepped down underground and ignored him. Seeing as how you gave him your attention was enough. He saw it as an opportunity to make another best friend in order to replace the others who have “left for vacation.” They weren’t even picking up their phones.

But Error didn’t adore you. He detested you. In fact, he was originally thought of as swapSans’ best friend, his buddy in crime. However, seeing as how enthused and clingy swapSans is turning out to be towards you, there’s a slight hint of jealousy emanating from the dark being.

Error watched as the two of you walked deeper into the snowy woods, his teeth grit together as he envisions the many ways he could tear you apart-oh what is that orange glow of-OH.

The dark glitch easily blurred out of sight the moment he felt a presence, jumping a few trees away from where he originally was. In his place two skeletons blinked into existence, entering in a faint burst of light; gasterSans, surprised and safely landing on the tree branch he had appeared in whilst sugarSans’ stomach harshly impacted the branch, body curling around it in pain. His device fell to the ground below, digging into the snow.

“...ugh. never thought i’d be hurtin’ all over again,” sugarSans complained, eyes staring at the white fluff beneath. GasterSans leaped down, snatching the device. “dunno if it worked.”

“we’re not in-oh shit,” gasterSans mumbled out upon the sight of Error, who was glaring at them menacingly. SugarSans slid off the branch lazily, falling and landing on the soft pillow of snow below.

Error suddenly returned a twisted smile, pulling out the pocket watch you originally carried, causing gasterSans’ expression to turn into that of scorn. 

“you took her with you, isn’t that right?” he nonchalantly stated, attempting to contain his anger. Unfortunately, his emotions were given away by his eye socket slowly lighting up. SugarSans scrambled to his feet upon hearing his comrade’s words, eyes darting everywhere to see to whom he was speaking to.

“eh, i could easily rip you both out of this existence,” Error responds with a twisted smile, twirling the pocket watch with his dark fingers. “but uh… nah. i got a novella to catch up on. ever heard of undernovela? s’good. learned some spanish with that.”

GasterSans kept glaring, ready to attack at any moment if the other initiates. However, sugarSans was nothing like either of them. He speaks in between the tense silence, eyes glimmering the moment he set eyes on the watch. “woah, that’s her pocket watch… do you know her too? do you know where she is? which sans are ya’? hard to keep up with all these without her with me-”

“yeah, uh, no, gotta ‘port out of here,” Error interrupts before ripping out a door into the same white canvas gasterSans and sugarSans had witnessed. Once he had teleported out of swapSans’ universe and into his own white blank world, he quickly took out a worn out teddy bear and began to squish it. It aided him with releasing out his temper tantrums, the poor plush's ear the main target for Error's sharp canines. SwapSans had given it to him in order to control his temper, fully aware that he’s easily capable of destroying an entire universe when he didn’t get the tea he wanted.

“just uh… fluff this, fluff that, fluff fluff fuck-shit-shoot, can’t curse, can’t curse-” he bites into the teddy bear, trying to rid of his vulgarity in order to impress swapSans.

Meanwhile, back on solid ground, gasterSans sighs and glances around, surprised to see two pairs of footprints leading away from them. SugarSans was deep in a monologue, figuring out what to do next and ignoring the fact there were footprints beside him. 

“don’t wanna interrupt your daydreamin’, but these familiar footprints seem like a good start,” he points out to his sugary friend, who quickly scans these-said footprints. 

“how do you know they ain’t somebody else’s?” sugarSans asked, yet gasterSans simply passes by him and follows them. He blinks, not knowing how to take that. 

“guess we’ll find out.”

“hey, hey! let me catch up to ya’!” sugarSans blurts out before dashing towards him.

 

\--

 

“This is where I met the tiny human!” swapSans proudly announced, standing and pointing right on to the spot Frisk was first seen.

“Is it? How was he? Or her?” you continue the conversation, interested in everything he has to say. It was a nice change compared to Papyrus, who didn’t have much to say. He would easily kill the conversation, forcing you to think up of something to say.

SwapSans took a hold of your hand and rushed you to the next stop, which was a road that forked into two. “This is where I tried to capture that sly human with a box, string, and perfectly-crafted tacos! And let me tell you… I was close,” he began to reminiscence on the older days, eyes closed to a slit, annoyed. “That fiend kept slipping out of every obstacle I threw at them… my delicious food with first-class ingredients, real bombs, thought-out riddles, crossword puzzles, and even…” he sighed, body drooping and hopeless. 

You were about to mumble out encouragement when he suddenly bursts to life, straightening and making you yelp. “WELL, can’t have you see me upset, now can we?! Then you’ll be worried for me! Of course! Onward to the next checkpoint! Where I explain how I began realizing my potential path to artistry!”

“You like to draw? I like to draw too!” you pipe out, just as excited as he was. The two of you merrily make your way through the snow, footprints left behind. “But is it okay if I ask you something? There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask… for a while.”

He twirls and stops when he faces you, happily smiling. “Of course! I am open to answer any inquiries you might have.” You hesitate at first, unsure as to how he’ll take your curiosity and worry, having spent a good amount of time thinking about gasterSans and sugarSans.

“Well you see, I’ve been meaning to ask about like… uh… you see, I’ve been worried about my friends. Your friend, Error…” you trail off, inching closer to your buddy and cupping your mouth and placing it against where his ears would be. “…can he save my friends too? My friends were also in that bad place.”

He quickly clutches your arms and forces you to stand in front of him, smiling eagerly. “What kind of friend do you take me for? I will gladly ask of my good good good friend Error to rescue your fellow comrades from the horrible place they’re in!”

“Really?!” you blurt out, surprised about his reaction. He nodded excitedly. “Wow, that’s great, uh, so when do you think you can have him do that?” you hint at your impatience, making him stop to ponder. 

“Why, Error has a very weird schedule… toooooo weird. He likes to greet me when I least expect it, which is why I think he’s fun and never boring, unlike my bonehead of a brother Papyrus… he doesn’t even like capturing humans like I do!”

You gasped lightly at his words. “Capture humans?”

“YEESS! And the best part is that Error helped me get accustomed to his frightful entrances! I no longer screech and leap for a few minutes… now it’s a few seconds! You don’t see that often, now do you human? Admit it! You are jealous I am capable of such a feat!”

You quiet yourself, uncomfortable when discussing about that dark glitch, the one who was capable of melting into the background and use threads… it was terrifying. To see him easily take a hold of your soul without a problem, simply with a lift of his finger. The very thought made your grip the area above your rapidly beating heart.

“How’s Error? Is he… a good guy?” you questioned, doubtful of thinking that he’s ever like that. Simply from the short time you’ve spent with the skeleton you already have bad thoughts about him. 

The blueberry of a skeleton chuckled out at the sight of a snow sculpture, rushing towards it. You follow him, surprised to see that there was a dog patting the edges of the long and thin sculpture. 

“How do you do Lesser Dog?! IT’S ME! SANS! The great friend who was diligently helped you build snow sculptures with such mastery and precision,” he stops to pride himself near the end, arms folded in front of his chest and invisible hair blowing in the wind. The bipedal monster-dog happily muffled out a snort of agreement, only to freeze at the sight of you. 

You glanced around you, just as uncomfortable to be introduced to a monster in a world where it's clearly out of the norm. 

“Are you impressed? This is my human! ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEING A LEADER OF THE RESISTANCE!” swapSans reveals, making you furrow your brows in confusion. Lesser Dog slowly approaches you, now on all fours, sniffing and alert. Every time you shifted slightly he would flinch as well, strands of fur standing on ends. “Don’t be shy my human, Lesser Dog is a very kind and special kind of… dog… unlike that uncultured mutt,” he starts to grow infuriated thinking about the annoying dog. “That annoying dog stole my burritos and gifts for Alphys during one surprise birthday party, and I HAD TO IMPROVISE AND RUSH TO GET MORE.”

You extend out your hand, causing Lesser Dog to grow startled and freeze. “It’s okay, I don’t mind, I don’t bite,” you mumbled, using your other hand to pat your thighs. Lesser Dog mustered more courage, his muzzle finally meeting the tip of your fingers. This somehow erupted something warm inside you, making you feel at home and accomplished.

“You’re just so cute-”

“He is in no way ‘cute,’ he is a ferocious dog with standards, isn’t that right Lesser-no, she’s my human, don’t do that, stop this instant!” swapSans immediately regrets having introduced you to his friend, rushing to him and trying to pry him off of you. “LESSER DOG! Go… find your own human! It is not nice to steal humans from justified skeletons like me!”

Lesser Dog whimpered when he was finally pried off of you, giving you saddened eyes. “So you’re in a resistance? Is that an organization?” you ask of swapSans, who glared at the dog. 

“You never heard of The Resistance?!” he gasps out, shocked. “I suppose I should have seen this coming, you’ve only been here not even two days... uh, I think. ANYWAY.” He grabs your hand and begins to make his way past Lesser Dog and into farther territory. He was no longer going by Asgore’s rules as Snowdin’s buildings are able to be made out in the distance. “We must solve this… this instant! And… well, I’m not sure how, but I know who will be of help to us! I know Asgore fluffybuns lets us go to The Resistance’s headquarters. It’s always safe for humans to go there.”

“Are you sure about that? I don’t feel like he would be okay with this,” you comment, not wanting to go against Asgore’s wishes. SwapSans nods eagerly, only for the two of you to halt in your tracks upon Papyrus’ sudden appearance in front of you. SwapSans scoffed, the mood having been ruined.

“Hey, bro, don’t you think this is far enough? You kinda… went over the line Gori drew out for you back there,” swapPapyrus spoke out, approaching you two closer. He towered over you both, making you feel small, yet at least you weren’t as small as Sans.

“Get out of my way Papyrus, we got a leader to meet up with!” he insisted, yet Papyrus easily snatched him up from the ground and squished him against his side. The smaller brother squirmed and tried to convince his taller brother otherwise. 

Papyrus didn’t waver, beginning to walk past you. “About time I read you a bed story anyway-”

“A BEDTIME STORY?!” swapSans shrieked, only for his displeased face to quickly turn into that of wonder. “Can you read the one with the human robots, please my only brother?” he begs, making his brother chuckle.

“Sure thing Sans, whatever makes you happy pal.”

You followed the brothers back home, where Papyrus didn’t hesitate to tell you that the resistance consisted of a bunch of dogs and swapSans… a certain scientist being the leader. 

Once you all have reached the ruins, where swapSans was released to sadly march into his room, you began to throw inquiries at swapPapyrus with stutters. “Error? Nah, just an imaginary friend of my bro. Does kinda worry me tho,” Papyrus responds to your inquiry about the elusive fiend, the butt of his cigarette about to have been thrown into the carpet below if it wasn’t for Asgore’s peeking and glaring eyes. They disappeared when Papyrus correctly threw it into the trash can behind him. 

“What if he was real? Like… he wasn’t just imaginary?” you imply, making him sigh. “No, no, really! Because he’s the reason I’m here,” you add, this time able to catch his perplexed expression. “Yeah… uh, he’s real alright. Body and all. Black skeletal body with inverted colors, strings of blue and shiny thread released from his fingers, etcetera,” you continue to explain, Papyrus’ expression getting rigid.

“Heh… and here I thought you popped in here for a visit with that suave tech,” he mumbled, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. You fiddled with your feet while looking away, not knowing what to say next. “Time to go make first impressions I s’pose. Can’t let my bro have all the fun with Error, hm?”

“I think I made a horrible first impression,” you admit, somewhat nervous. “He’s not the nicest skeleton around, and he’s also kind of… scary.”

“Pft, bro might be a gullible skele, but he has some balls. Thinks the best in everyone he meets. That’s why I don’t have the heart to ruin that for him, tellin’ him that everybody he loves is... gone, and never coming back… he won’t believe it anyway.”

You grew somber at the thought. “Don’t go down in the dumps, we still got tomorrow to be searching for the guy. Sans told me everythin’ there is to know about your 'sticky situation',” he placed emphasis on the last few words, making you faintly smile. 

He nudges you playfully, standing erect and sighing in glee. “So… that means you know about my memory loss?” you ask, making him blink from surprise. “It’s a long story really.”

“I got time for that story of yours,” he says, ripping open a door and taking a step through it. He watches you from the other side, pulling out a badly ripped piece of paper and pencil. You step through, curious to see what he was writing. Unfortunately, he quickly extended his arm out of the portal and threw the piece of paper on top of the nearest furniture. Afterwards he closed the portal, eyes now on you.

“What was that?”

“Just a piece of paper I wrote on,” he responded smugly. You take a look around, no longer inside Asgore’s house, but… a shiny room. It was oddly familiar. “My workshop… like what you see here?”

“I’ve never been down here… all of them probably have their own workshops too!” you spoke to yourself, confusing Papyrus. You give him a sheepish smile before walking over to the only four drawers in the room. He follows you closely, opening a drawer before you even could.

“Ever wondered what was behind that curtain? Bet you did… dunno if the other, uh, Sans’, ever showed you,” he offered, making you nod in excitement. You rush over to the curtain, prying it open as your skeletal buddy lazily caught up to your boundless energy. “Can’t handle it?” he chuckles out, only to flinch and gape. His device was no longer there, making him freeze and try to recall where he might have misplaced it.

“There’s… nothing,” you sadly responded, although you quickly picked up the mood and smiled at him. “Or did you know that and wanted to play a trick?” 

He put up a façade, giving you a snort of approval. “Heh, yeah that pretty much is it.” But it wasn’t. He was worried. That device wasn’t just your ordinary technology, there’s a reason it was hidden, although apparently he wasn’t the only one here. “Also got a few questions for ya’, you ready?”

“I mean, sure, I can answer as many as you like,” you respond, taking a good look of the room you were both in. He closes the curtain before turning to face you. 

“Alright, here’s the first one... you met my bro’s not-so-imaginary friend… how bad is he?” he shot out, making you think back to those events. He seems to notice the life being drained out of your face, making him scratch the back of his skull, guilty to have put you in an uncomfortable state. “Hey, uh, forget I asked that, got other questions anyway-”

“I don’t like him.” He stops, surprised by your words. “He’s terrifying… he forced me down here out of nowhere. I miss my friends, I miss my family, I miss my house, I miss sugarSans, I miss gasterSans, I miss Frisk, I miss Alphys and… and…” you trail off, growing helpless and finally succumbing to your darkest thoughts. “My memories are returning, thank god, but not fast enough. I still don’t know how I ended up in the underground that’s not even in my own universe, but a different one, and I have no idea who half the people I’ve met are.” Papyrus walks over to you, patting your shoulder in order to comfort you. “It’s… I wish I could solve my problems so… easily. I don’t want to put others in danger anymore… I have this lingering bad feeling in my chest that… it won’t go away. It’s always there, and now that I’ve seen somebody vanish before my very own eyes… it’s only gotten worse.”

“Can’t say I wouldn’t know how that feels,” he comments, ripping open a door back to Asgore’s house. “Guess I won’t be able to talk to that cool Sans, heh? He was pretty cool.” You ignore the comment, not knowing to whom he was referring to.


	51. “OH ERROR! How you enrich my life with your odd musings and glitches. It’s what keeps me going!”

“We’re returning back already? That was quick,” you say amidst your steps away from Papyrus’ workshop. He passes through last and closes the portal, which revealed swapSans in the distance, seemingly frustrated.

“Sorry, just realized there’s something I done forgot to do,” he says as he waves to his brother, who marches towards you both.

“BE RIGHT BACK?!? What if something occurred in which your assistance was needed!?” swapSans hollers out, holding up the piece of paper Papyrus had left behind. “And _____?!? Why?! Don’t be persuaded by my brother’s sly tactics, he’s only trying to win you over to convince you that I’m not as maaagnificent as magnificent Sans SHOULD BE!” He strikes a dramatic pose.

“Chill, she’s all yours now.” Papyrus walks down the hallway, his brother staring at him in the process. Once he was gone, swapSans rushed to your aid with a wide smile. 

“_____! Human! My HUMAN! Wow, there’s so much stuff to do it’s… but that’s why we’re friends, _____. Without you, who would enrich my life with a human who listens to everything I say?? NO ONE.” He then sighs, yearning in his eyes. “If only Papyrus would spend more time with me, then perhaps I wouldn’t be as… needy. Yes, that’s why you’re here, to complete my half-filled soul with your human shenanigans! Let’s forget about how ignorant my brother is by building snow sculptures outside. I even brought the carrots and a dirty snow cone to use as their cute little nose.”

You give him a genuine smile, making him grow ecstatic as he leads the way. “Hey, sorry to ask again, but how about we talk to Error? I do miss my friends. I also am worried that they think I abandoned them… I don’t want them to feel that way,” you explain solemnly, thinking back to how swapSans and swapPapyrus must have felt about your own monthly absence. 

“That sneaky skeleton hasn’t appeared yet! Can you believe it?! I see him every day so that we can watch his favorite tv show and eat tacos together… I even got him a gift for being my friend.” It was a stuffed, white, small dog plushie with a blue scarf and blue badly-drawn tear trails. “But he must be busy. He likes to give me a lot of gifts too, after all, it’s what friends do! He always defeats me in these gift contests… and WITH THIS!” he says, holding up the stuffed toy dog. “I WILL BEAT THAT BEHEMOTH.” 

“It’s adorable,” you admit, making him proudly take a stance to show off his mighty self. “Can I go with you?” you add, unsure as to whether he’ll forget to ask Error such a question.

“Why, of course! Even if Error can be bad to the-OH NO. NOT AGAIN. ANOTHER GOOD PUN. ARGH,” he holds his head in disappointment, unable to handle himself doing such things. You chuckle as a result, adoring him.

 

\--

 

“hmph, wonder what this fluffing button does,” Error mumbled while pressing several buttons and tiny levers at once, toying with the pocket watch. To his shock, the pocket watch turned on to life, the hearts trapped inside now releasing a bright glow. He was taken aback by this, jumping from shock and throwing the watch in anger, unable to understand why he was startled by such a tiny object. 

“FUCK YOU-UH… ARGH!” he halted, holding his skull and trying not to spit out more curse words.

The pocket watch clanked on to the white floor beneath them, immediately opening an opaque, iridescent portal. Error blinked, glaring at the strange door. He hadn’t opened it, prompting him to attempt to close it himself. 

As he thought, it wasn’t his doing. He then stared at the watch, fuming with anger. “pffft… he isn’t here… so…” He approaches the watch and starts to stomp on to it, releasing his anger. “THE FUCK ARE YOU A PIECE OF SHIT. THE HELL DO YOU WORK WHEN I LEAST NEED YOU TO?????”

Whispers and mutters could be heard emanating from the portal beside him, making him scoop up the device and try to close the iridescent portal. It wasn’t working. He cursed and threw the watch back down, releasing his own bones, threads, and gaster blasters to try to destroy the portal he was witnessing. Unfortunately, the iridescent door only absorbed its attacks like nothing, frustrating the poor glitch. 

“fuck you, imma see my fluffing bff,” he mutters to himself, opening a door to swapSans’ world, leaving the iridescent door to fend for itself. He also left the door to swapSans’ world open, not believing it would be of any problem. 

 

\--

 

“THIS IS ME GASPING,” swapSans hollered in a fake, yet believable, shock as he lifts his action figure’s arm. “HOW COULD YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME?! I LOVED YOU!”

“But… I love another!” you play along, using an adorably small stuffed dragon as the action figure’s love interest. SwapSans copied the current mood very vividly in his face whilst you tried not to laugh out loud, biting your lip.

“WHO IS IT?!?!? WHO IS THIS SANS’ LOVE STEALER?!?”

“It is I,” Asgore knelt down near you with his own action figure in hand. SwapSans had coaxed him into playing along, the fatherly figure towering over you as he gently set down the figure. “The man she loves.”

“THE MAN?!? I SHALL FIND THIS MAN AND KILL HIM!” Sans bellows out, pretending that his action figure had walked off into the unknown. He makes a circle and returns the figure to where it was originally. “I FOUND YOU, THE MAN!”

“Oh no, I have been discovered!” Asgore tried his best to make a believable voice of horror.

“DO YOU STILL LOVE THE MAN, MY LOVE INTEREST?!”

“I… love you!” you say with a girly voice, causing swapSans to gasp. Asgore does a fake gasp as well. 

“LET’S GET MARRIED!”

“No,” you suddenly say, wanting to see his reaction.

“WHY???” he cried out, forcing his figure’s arms to lift up in agony. 

“For her true love is I,” Asgore intervenes with his own action figure, making Sans gasp once again. You couldn’t help but snicker. “Let’s duel for her love!”

“B-but I cannot! I WAS SIMPLY TRICKING YOU ALL TO MAKE YOU BELIEVE I LOVED SOMEBODY!”

“What?!” Asgore gasps out, this time with a hint of realism in it. 

You cover your mouth, trembling and not wanting to let out the laughter you’ve been hiding in fear of being told off my swapSans. Asgore didn’t mind giving a small chuckle, which made the small skeleton beam out of happiness. 

“I think you’ve been watching too many dramas, bud,” Papyrus walks in with a jar of honey in hand, admiring the circle the three of you have made.

“PAPYRUS! …those dramas are quite the entertaining and very informative, I keep insisting that you watch them with me!!! You could learn a thing or two about the dashing characters and-” he makes an abrupt stop, pupils dilating. Papyrus blinks, waiting for his brother to respond. “HE’S HERE!!!” he pipes out, eyes filled with joy. At first you were confused, until he opened his mouth towards you and spit out more words. “At last, after the weird long absence I can finally present to him this gift of friendship!”

It then hits you. He must be speaking of Error. You’re unsure as to how he would know of his presence, but you smile and nod in return. Papyrus, having finally learned that Error was more than his brother’s figment of imagination, closes the honey and places it on the furniture closest to him. “Hey, minding me tag along too?”

“…yoooUUUUU?!? My brother, PAPYRUS? Wowza… this is definitely not weird, no sir, not at all. Are you sick?! Is that it? Did you get sick from not spending enough time with your magnificent brother Sans?? Then I can help!” he tries to explain the sudden change of heart Papyrus has taken. Papyrus begins to walk out of the room, smiling lazily.

“Heh, c’mere before I get a change of heart,” Papyrus responds, causing swapSans to scramble to his feet and rush to his brother’s side. You turn to Asgore and smile widely.

“We’ll be back.”

“Do not worry. Despite how small… playtime was, I enjoyed it greatly. Sans has not disappointed me when it comes to his imagination. It knows no bounds!” he says with laughter, making you chuckle in return. “But, my worries do stand. I remind you, stay as close to the ruins as possible. Never leave Papyrus’ side,” he says his worries, standing himself up. “Even if Sans peaks your interest with whatever lays beyond the horizon… for, I’m afraid, it’s devoid of hope for humankind.”

You nod, making him grow reassured. “Don’t worry, Papyrus has taken good care of us so far,” you respond, only to notice the sudden change in Asgore’s expression. He gave you a stern look.

“I do not want Sans to go through any trouble with who he claims is Error. That individual has been shrouded in mystery for far too long… and have tasked Papyrus with keeping a careful watch of the two of you, for I… I fear that his friend may have been carrying a façade.” Your mouth had slowly opened during his explanation, surprised by his assumptions and how correct he might eventually be. Error was definitely more than an imaginary friend, no, he might be more than an ordinary skeletal monster. 

He’s in the shadows, lurking, and when you’re alone you’re always paranoid. 

You give him a faint smile. “Papyrus told me about it, so I know about what you’re talking about. Don’t worry, I’ll help Papyrus and you too. Two extra eyes should be of more help, hopefully… maybe.” Asgore gives you a warm hug in return, making you blush from the show of affection this large fluffybuns was demonstrating.

“That is a splendid idea. Meanwhile I will take care of the household! I have forgotten we have company.” You grew surprised by this, normally envisioning Asgore as the type who rejected visitors from outside the ruins. “Oh, where are my manners, did I not speak of this with you? This visitor happens to be a new acquaintance of mine and Sans. He is a delight and I am certain both you and Papyrus will grow fond of him.”

You start to make your way out of Sans’ room, watching Asgore pick up the toys from the floor. “I’m sure we will! Bye!” 

“Farewell!”

Catching up to both Papyrus and Sans didn’t take long, for swapSans had never budged from his spot at the entrance of the house. He was patiently waiting for you, although while trembling from excitement. Papyrus forced out a smile, making you feel as if he was just as worried as Asgore was of this newcomer. 

“_____! Human! My friend with flesh! You have finally arrived!” swapSans happily states, beginning his quick march out the house. You and Papyrus follow closely behind the ecstatic blueberry, passing by the lone tree and deeper into the ruins. 

“I’ve never gone this far in,” you say amidst swapSans’ hummed tune. He twists and begins to walk backwards, facing you and Papyrus. 

“I am glad to be the one who is showing you the beauties of the ruins! They are… purple. Very purple and big. Quiet… but with Error, he makes everything fun and never boring!” he explains before turning out of his backward waltz. 

After a minute of hearing swapSans excitedly whistle out a tune stuck in his mind, he stops and begins calling out to his friend. Papyrus managed to keep his cool, leaning against the wall while you were trying to get rid of the goosebumps forming. Despite having both Papyrus and Sans sandwiching you, you were still terrified of the aspect of encountering Error. 

It’s not that you lack in their abilities to protect you, no, it’s because you’ve lived through enough to know that, even when they claim to be protecting you and keeping an eye on you, surprises… still happen. Deaths occur, sometimes as a result of how badly you’ve handled situations. 

“Oh shit,” Papyrus mumbled out, making swapSans swivel in the blink of an eye to warn him of his vulgarity. His words snapped you out of your thoughts, making your eyes focus on what was in front of you.

It was Error, black bones and blue tear trails. It was definitely him. He stuck out like a sore thumb against the purple environment around, his pupils fixed on your own. His expression showed that of disdain, making you grow uncomfortable as the brothers bickered.

He scoffed. “been treatin’ my very good good bud over here nicely i see,” he finally speaks, voice slightly distorted. The glitching occurring throughout his body discomforts you, but you were forcing yourself to grow accustomed. After all, if swapSans could call this being a best friend, then you were capable of handling his appearance. “still hate ya’ tho.”

You sighed, hopes of reaching a potential friendship ruined. “Oh, well, I’m sorry to hear. I don’t hate you at all,” you say, swapSans finally finishing his conversation with Papyrus, who was eyeing Error.

“OH ERROR! How you enrich my life with your odd musings and glitches. It’s what keeps me going!” swapSans enthused happily, rushing over to his friend and pulling out a gift. 

Error, for the first time, smiles. It catches you off guard and you couldn’t help but stare in order to appreciate this rare event. “yeah uh-”

“I apologize if my brother plagues you with bad jokes and those terrible, horrible, distasteful cigarettes,” he says with disgust near the end, glaring at his brother from the corner of his eyes. Papyrus shrugs at this, amused. “BUT the good news is that I brought my faithful human for you to get to know! And I know the best way to do this!”

“uh, ‘bout that,” Error finally has time to say his thoughts fully, giving you a nasty glare for a quick second when swapSans wasn’t looking. “how about we spend some bff time… alone? bet your bro and human want quality time with each other-”

“Nah, I wanna spend some time with my lil’ bro, isn’t that right Sans?” Papyrus interrupts, placing his shoulder on top of swapSans, who gasped and glanced at his brother with shock. “Ain’t sick either, don’t worry about it bro.”

“AM I DREAMING?! Jeez, why are you not like this all the time Papyrus?! I prefer this side of you, always wanting to spend time with your magnificent and cool brother!” Sans smiles, causing Error to give Papyrus a grimace. “I thereby accept your clever tactic to bond with your smaller brother, me… how about you, human?! _____? I have NOT forgotten about you, my time traveling friend!”

Error seemed surprised by his final words, giving you a hard look and slightly bewildered. “Oh, me? Um… yes! I’m coming too!”

“Then I guess that settles it. We’re all joinin’ in on the fun,” Papyrus concludes the deal, Error not fond of the tall skeleton. 

“…where off to?” Error says through gritted teeth, eye sockets closed as he tried to calm himself down. He couldn’t blow it when in front of his dear friend, now could he?

SwapSans ponders for a bit, stroking his chin. Papyrus carries with him a grin of mischief, having successfully dragged himself and you into this mess. However, your legs were still weak, heart pounding quickly as your hands hid themselves behind your back. 

“I GOT IT!” swapSans suddenly blurts out, both you and Error startled. Papyrus kept his cool and walked over to Error, placing an elbow on the glitch’s shoulder. Error grimaced at his touch, quickly and rudely sliding away from under his elbow. “We shall rescue _____’s friends! I definitely did not almost forget about that,” he finally remembers, making you gasp at the realization.

This was your chance to return to your friends.

Error’s eye sockets squinted, trying to force himself not to do anything horrible at that request. “…is there anythin’ else you would rather do? anythin’ else in that mind of yours that would make you... happy?” he tried his best to change his friend’s mind. At first swapSans took up on the offer, but when he saw you slightly shaking your head, he stuck with his decision. 

“But THAT, my good friend Error, is not what we came here for!” swapSans says, causing Error to glare at you, making your eyes divert away. “As a royal guardsman, and future protector of humanity, I must be able to handle making my fellow human happy!”

Error didn’t seem to agree, trying to force a slight smile when he faced swapSans. “yeah uh, that doesn’t make much sense to me-”

“SILENCE ERROR! Do not forget what we came here for… to rescue my fellow human’s friends!” swapSans intervenes, causing Error to groan to himself with his skeletal hands covering his face.

“Gotta love my brother, ain’t that right, _____?” Papyrus comments on the situation, allowing you to finally communicate on the matter.

“Yeah.” Papyrus approaches you, causing you to slowly gain some confidence now that you weren’t alone. “Remember that place that you um-” you were cut short by Error’s glare, fully aware of the truth that you might spill. This makes you close your mouth, rethinking the words you were about to say.

“…heh, i know it very fluffing well,” he muttered out, swapSans smiling to his friend in glee. “are your friends those fuc-” he stops, feeling swapSans’ eyes hot on his lips. 

He was about to curse, he can’t curse yet, oh no, not in front of him.

“-er… who are your friends?” he says instead, causing swapSans’ intense expression to ease up. Papyrus was patting your shoulder, aware of how nervous you must feel in the presence of the odd glitch standing before you. 

“They’re… um, gasterSans and sugarSans. GasterSans has this one golden eye and he's pretty tall, so I guess he’s not that difficult to find… and sugarSans is also very unique and different. He has pink eyes that tend to look like hearts and has some face paint thing going on… he also wears bright pastel colors,” you explained, Error’s face getting more annoyed the more you elaborated.

It was obvious he was infuriated, with whatever was in his mind, yet swapSans seems to be oblivious to it. “if you haven’t already noticed,” he begins, ripping open a portal to the woods outside the ruins. “your… ‘friends’ are already here.”


	52. “yeah uh… there’s a problem. i may have caused.”

“woah, you weren’t kiddin’, she was here,” sugarSans mumbled out. GasterSans was lighting a cigar, annoyed by the sugary skeleton. “yeah, uh, i know i’ve been talking a lot and you’ve been listenin’, but…” he trails off, not knowing what to say next. 

GasterSans begins to walk away amidst his friend's blank moment, opening a portal and abandoning sugarSans behind. 

By the time the sugary skeleton came to be, his friend had vanished. “hey ga… eh?” the skeleton glances around, confused. “where he go?” He was left in the middle of nowhere, in the woods, following smudged tracks that appear to belong to you and others. “i mean, it beats the horror-looking universe i went to the other time… s’ppose.”

He shrugged his comrade’s rude exit and continues to follow the tracks he had just found, refusing to believe gasterSans when he claims that they’re wasting time… because he’s not, right? He found footprints that definitely belonged to you, and even his guts say to continue following them… even if they disappear once in a while due to the random rodent and monster that smears them along the way. 

The snapping of twigs and faraway disturbances troubled him, making him grow paranoid. He’s not used to this, much less being thrown into battle and situations with such uncertainty. Back at his world, filled with candy canes and sweeter days, there was barely any care in the world. 

Is this what he really wanted? Follow you around to try to conquer you? And even then, he’s aware that you won’t be satisfied living in his world… more than likely he’ll have to abandon his own for your’s. 

He never put much thought into it until now, and it’s beginning to sound like a bigger problem than he originally thought.

So much so that he spaced out and went smack-dab into a tree trunk, causing him to stumble a few steps back. With his hand on his forehead he stared out into the distance, the footprints getting smaller the farther they got. 

“And whooooo the heck might you be?” a small voice caught his attention. He glanced around, only for the same voice to shout out to him out of anger and frustration. “I’M HERE YOU DIMWIT. DOWN HERE. NO-NOT THERE-AIRHEAD OVER HERE- OH MY – YES!” it finally succeeded when sugarSans glanced down, surprised to see a small… Temmie-looking creature. Its facial features were a bit more cynical, but it was still a Temmie all the same.

“oh, hey, sorry ‘bout that,” he apologizes, kneeling down to get closer to the creature. Temmie hisses back, backing up a few inches. “don’t worry about me, all sweet and no bite.”

“Ha… hahaha, no. Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” Temmie squeaked out, walking in a tight circle to get himself comfortable on the snow below. “are you with that… what’sitsface… _____? A female human.” As if they were the magic words, sugarSans shoots up and nods, a glimmer to his pupils. 

“you know where she is? can you lead me to her? can-”

“HOLD UP! SHUT UP! STOP… just stop,” it cuts him off, making him grow stunned by its adorable voice. “Juuuuust have to know something reeeaaaaal quick…” Temmie stops and clears his throat, only to cough up a hairball. SugarSans, not knowing how to react to its voice and contradicting words, could only stare and nod.

“so uh…”

“No UHS! LISTEN!” it screeched adorably, impatient. “Tell me… how did she get here? I know this place… this… underground, veeeeery weeell… and she’s not from here. That rancid thing pops out of nowhere and, poof! Gets close to the skelefuckington brothers! She only increased their morale even more! IT’S-” he stops, seeing the bewildered expression on the skeleton. “Ha… hahaha… HAHAHAHA! Oh I’m a RIOT! Dimwits don’t know what they’re doing… but I’ll get them soon… soon-"

“er, sorry gotta go-" 

“-HEY!”

SugarSans had already abandoned the creature and continued to follow the footprints, angering the small Temmie. He dashed towards the skeleton, leaping and landing right in front of him.

“Do you know who I am?” Temmie asked, curious. 

“nah, never seen you before.” The response made the small creature burst out into giggles, causing sugarSans to awkwardly shrug and continue forward. A distorted smile erupted on Temmie, who stood up and continued to follow his newfound victim. 

“You're Sans, right?” Temmie continued. He nodded, causing the creature to repeat its giggles and trembling. Once it stopped it glanced back up, sugarSans too confused to say anything in return. “Know where uh… the castle is, right? Teleport me there! Do it! And I’ll show you where that ran-beloved huuuuman is,” he offers. 

Finally, something the skeleton could agree on. “oh, uh, sure thing. just a quick trip there, all right? then you’ll show me the way back to _____?” he repeats, making Temmie nod furiously. 

“YES. NOW GO… I’m hungry too, and they’re selling these bomb bagels for half the price later today, so I don’t have much time you airhead.” SugarSans didn’t hesitate to rip open a door to the castle as Temmie jumped up to his shoulder. 

“…how about here? huh? isn’t right for you bud?” he questioned seeing Temmie with his eyes closed, smiling deviously. 

When the words processed the creature stops and blinks. “Yeah yeah-NO! CLOSER. IN THE CASTLE! NO. STOP. THAT’S NOT THE RIGHT PLACE. GET CLOSER-NO, PASS JUDGEMENT HALL-GAH-YES!” they finally agreed on a location, sugarSans exhausting himself after opening a few doors back to back. “…what are you doing? Do you WANT me not to TELL you where that human is? GET INSIDE!”

“ok ok, don’t get all sour on me now,” sugarSans quickly responded, stepping through the portal. The sight of the judgement hall behind him sent chills down his spine, making him glance away from shame. 

Temmie leaps out of his shoulder, his soft paws making a clicking sound as they walked over the cold pavement. SugarSans followed, not wanting to lose his only ticket back to his beloved, even though he might have left his post. Hopefully gasterSans doesn’t return too soon, or else he might panic.

They make a few turns deeper into the castle, going into locations that sugarSans himself wasn’t aware of. He began to think back to the words of Temmie, the pattern and personality familiar to him… yes! Flowey! But it was Temmie, not Flowey. Is it just an upset Temmie? 

They stopped in front of a pair of gigantic red doors, the underground’s emblem embedded into them. The creature sat firmly on the ground, glaring at the skeleton. “See this? THIS… this room will free me… finally I can-no, just watch. You’ll never forget about me after this,” it explained, forcing out a crooked smile. 

SugarSans hesitated, hands slowly grazing the doors. He’s never been in this part of the castle, so he didn’t know what to expect. But he was also just as curious, which was what caused him to finally budge the doors, their creaks echoing up the hall. 

“…yes… yes yes YES YES! AT LAST!” Temmie sang out, squeezing through the small opening sugarSans had made within a few seconds. He continued to open the doors, struggling due to their hefty weight. 

The room in front was bright and from the corner of his eyes he saw…

Were those coffins?

“what is it… that you want, again?” sugarSans mumbled out, skeptical. He was standing on one end of the vertical room. Temmie was at the other end, who knocked down a glass cabinet. “hey, you there? should’ve asked this before… uh, do you know a talking flower?”

“A talking flower? Are you JOKING?” Temmie hollered out, breaking each cylindrical glass, one by one. “You have the honor to hear me out… SO LISTEN CAREFULLY YOU DIMWIT.” He finally hops up from wherever he was and lands on a coffin, finally able to be seen by sugarSans’ vision. “Remember that puny human? Friiiiiiisk? Well… that queen reeaaally thought she could trust the care of these to that tall smoker? He’s so… clueless, so ANNOYING! ARGH! I JUST WANT TO BITE HIS SKULL OFF CLEAN!”

SugarSans began to doubt his actions, not liking where this was going. “…and guess why I’m here? BECAUSE NOW I CAN!” Temmie laughs out, six healthy, colorful, human souls floating from the ground behind him. They circled the creature, whose face started to grow distorted from laughter. 

“uh… yeah. messed up big time,” he mustered out, summoning out two gaster blasters. With a bead of sweat he ordered his two pets to shoot out their beams, but it had been too late. Temmie had disappeared from his spot, having transformed into a white orb. It floated around the room in glee, moving erratically and at an incredible speed. 

SugarSans’s right eye vanishes, his left pupil glowing pink and ready to attack when he could. 

He was prepared, two gaster blasters by his side and a dozen bones floating around him, but the orb kept moving without any signs of attack.

Once it had calmed down, on the other end of the room, it began to take form… to that of a gigantic creature. While it was taking shape it began to move, growing more and more every second. 

Terrified yet bewildered, sugarSans quickly blocked its path with his attacks, shooting his white beams with a pink tinge and sharp bones. But they failed. All they managed to do was faze the creature, who was still glowing white and taking form.

It spoke, but its voice and words were distorted, seeping fear into the skeleton. It took the opportunity to break through the walls, escaping the castle. 

SugarSans stared at the hole it had made, which lead to the outside world beyond. He was at a loss of words, unable to understand what had just occurred. “did i just help… a bad guy?”

His gaster blasters whined and whimpered, trying to get the attention of their master, who had fallen to his knees, guilty. “and dunno where _____ is either. fell for the lamest trick in the book.”

He continued to stay in that position until an idea clicked. Perhaps gasterSans, knowing how exceptional he was in combat, could easily fend off the creature. 

“kay, let’s go find him,” he said, motivating himself and sending his two gaster blasters back to their home. He rips open a portal to a random location in the underground, desperately trying to find gasterSans. The random portals continued, his efforts futile as he failed to find him within the first few teleportations. 

Meanwhile gasterSans was inside a bar, getting himself a mixture of water and ketchup, a favorite of his. None of the residents nearby seem to recognize you, yet he was aware that sugarSans could probably find you, but refuses to connect the dots together.

But he didn’t want to make the poor skeleton feel like he’s a burden, so he’s letting him take over. Besides, he gets to know the place before he returns to his own, which was currently a disaster and possibly getting worse.

“Oh my gosh”

“Look at the news!”

“What the heck IS that?!”

Ruckus began to take over the bar, making gasterSans sigh. He wasn’t in the mood to watch a brawl occur inside, which was common back where he was from. But the moment he turned, eyes glazing over the bar’s contents, the television screen caught all of his attention. 

“-this is the latest from us in Ship ‘N Go, from Underground Network! We’ll be right back!”

“shit, even the news down here is better than back at home… gonna miss this place,” he muttered to himself. He watched as the commercials whizzed by, images of fruit juice and children running amok. 

The bar residents rushed to the nearby windows, causing gasterSans to glance their way out of curiosity. In that instant the commercials were cut straight to live images. The underground television provider’s symbol was on the lower right corner, aerial view of whatever gigantic creature they were following. 

“This was just in… we are LIVE and what you are seeing are the first images of an unidentified creature running within the outskirts of the Capital. Now, there’s been confirmation that the royal knights have been sent to try to calm down the rampaging creature-”

His eyes darted to the windows once again, wondering if that’s what the residents of the bar were making a commotion about. However, it wasn’t enough to pry gasterSans’ energy away.

“We have just begun to get confirmed reports that this creature has torn down everything in its path and left two towns in shambles. From what we can tell, and from eye witnesses, its next target may be Snowdin-”

“damn.” GasterSans quickly teleported out of the bar and back to where he had left sugarSans in, mind disturbed. To his dismay his small companion wasn’t in his spot, nor were his footprints. After a few minutes of walking they simply disappear, meaning he must have teleported… but to where.

“GASTERSANS!” his friend’s voice suddenly interrupts the calm silence, making him turn abruptly. “FINALLY! I FOUND YOU!” He stops feet in front of him, gathering in his breaths before he continues on, nervous. “yeah uh… there’s a problem. i may have caused.”

“c’mon, we gotta find her before whatever the hell that creature is finds this place,” he ignores sugarSans’ comment, opening a door and walking through it. SugarSans follows, guilty from what he’s caused. 

“hey, gaster, is that creature you’re talkin’ about? white and shiny and, uh, stuff?” he tries again, but all he could manage from his quiet friend was a nod. The two of them were now standing in front of the ruins, footprints leading out from it. “woah there… how’d you know?”

“always did.”

SugarSans grew dumbfounded as his taller friend opened the door without a problem, slowly inching inside as he grew alert. It was gasterSans’ loud knocking on the walls that caught the sugary friend off guard, gasping and freezing up. 

“ever met an evil-lookin’ temmie? cuz i think it was evil. i swear pal, not kiddin’,” he attempts again, but only to receive silence.

Loud footsteps could be heard coming from the end of the hall, unnerving sugarSans. He refused to continue his conversation, seeing as gasterSans had his mind set in other things. 

They stood there, never budging as the footsteps got louder and louder. GasterSans waited patiently for the stranger while sugarSans grew alert, standing his ground and body rigid. Not only was he worried of what lays ahead, but the sugary second counted the steps the approaching soul took.

13... uh... 15... shit he forgot...

And there he was, a large monster emerging from the end of the hall, casually making his way down. It was Asgore with his clean blonde beard, wide smile, warm clothes, and wide shoulders. But his happy expression didn’t last long. It went away at the sight of the two skeletons.

“asgore?” gasterSans muttered out, somewhat surprised. SugarSans didn’t reciprocate the feeling, already aware of some of the residents in the ruins thanks to his conversations with you over the phone.

Asgore didn’t budge, for he was startled and at a loss of words, unable to comprehend why these two strangers resembled the only Sans he knows. Therefor he squinted, pulling out his glasses and wearing them for reassurance. Afterwards he takes a few steps forward, eyes widening from the realization. 

GasterSans seemed just as put off, but he didn’t waste any time and began to approach the goat father. “sorry to be a nuisance, but we got some chattin’ to do. heard you might know of a human named _____?”

“really? you actually found that info? pretty neat, you could help me become a detective,” sugarSans commented quietly, impressed. 

“not now,” gasterSans growled back, shutting up his friend. His golden pupil then returned its stare to Asgore, who was skeptical of the situation. “we don’t got all day gramps, sorry to bother ya’… but we’re in a rush here.”


	53. “Hey, you’re taking ‘let’s chill’ literally, don’t you think?”

“They’re here? Are you sure?” you blurted out. SwapSans was just as surprised, arms crossed and adorable eyes glaring at his friend.

“Error, what is the meaning of this?! Did my lessons on HOW TO FORM FRIENDSHIPS fail???” he remarked, growing devastated near the end. “I AM A FAILURE! NO-I MUST FIX THIS. Let us have a second friendship meeting tomorrow in my room, understood?”

All Error could do was slam his hands into his pockets and breath through his teeth, trying to calm himself down. “beats watchin’ the fluffing fillers the novella is stuck on now. ugh.” His body kept glitching in and out of existence, and it was getting more difficult for you to treat him normally… especially when your stomach was in knots thinking about your dear friends.

“So where are they? At least tell me where so I can find them-”

“stop your yappin’, how the hell should i kno-”

“ERROR!” swapSans blurts out, horrified. “DO YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH THE SOAP AGAIN? BECAUSE… well, we ran out of the unscented soap. Luckily you get away this time, because I am an amazing and stupendous friend who would never force you to wash your filthy mouth with mint-scented soap.” Papyrus couldn’t help but snicker at the small skeletons, one of which was blushing madly from embarrassment. 

“fluff you all, FLUFF YOU!” Error lets out before collapsing and falling to the ground, facing the ceiling above. “you go find your fluffing friends. me and mah pal here are gonna talk ‘bout the destruction of universes and fluff.” He crosses his arms in anger.

“He ain’t half bad bro,” Papyrus comments on the situation, approaching the glitching monster. “About time I meet your imaginary friend.”

“FOR THE LAST TIME, PAPYRUS,” swapSans begins, raising a finger to his taller brother. “HE ISN’T IMAGINARY! BUT, are you proud of me? Admit it, you know you have always wanted a friend like mine, capable of giving you clever gifts and tacos!”

You were growing impatient, desperately wanting to know of their location. “Guys, is it okay if I know where my friends are-”

“if only you weren’t my bff i would kill you this instant,” Error grumbled out, glaring at Papyrus the next second. “and you… fluff, hate you too.”

They continued to chat, their minds slowly forgetting your questions and pleas. Seeing this, you slowly sneak your way out of the area. Unfortunately, swapSans seems to notice your sly self and loudly points it out. “HALT HUMAN!”

You close your eyes shut, slowly turning and unable to handle the tension and trepidation surrounding your friends. For all you know they could be lost outside, looking for you, or worse, perhaps they have given up on you and are stuck in this universe.

The last thing you wanted was for them to be caught up in this mess and for you to not realize it at first.

“I’m sorry, just impatient to see my friends is all… been a while since I’ve seen them, and last time I did they weren’t in the best of conditions either,” you say the moment you open your eyes, nervous. Papyrus approaches you, ruffling your hair as his brother tried to convince Error to stand back up.

“Don’t get your guts all knotted up over it, I’m sure they’ll be alright where ever they are,” the tall skeleton tried to comfort you, but you remained in a perturbed state. He knelt down to be at your eye level, making you force a smile on. “Take a few deep breaths, everything is alright… repeat with me-”

“PAPYRUS, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING TO MY HUMAN?!” swapSans bellows out, rushing to drag him farther away from you. “Why am I having difficulty acquiring my rightful place as the one who acquired this human? Oh being me is a tough job.” 

“No, it’s fine, I just… I want to see them again. They might be okay like you said, but what if they’re not? What if all this time they were here and… and I was laughing and doing nothing to help them?” you explained, slowly frustrating yourself in the process. “Look, I can do this on my own, it’s okay I just… oh my, oof… my head doesn’t feel so good all of a sudden.” Your head felt light, the warmth of your body being replaced by the cold. 

Error sat up, his curiosity peaked by your sudden change in tone. SwapSans, on the other hand, grew worried. “OH MY GOD, ARE YOU GROWING ILL?!? What do you humans do?! Oh jeez, oh boy, uuuuuuuhhhhhh UHHHHHH!” he grew frantic, digging into his pockets for anything that could be of use. Papyrus easily lifted you off the ground, piggybacking you. 

Oh did his pullover hoodie feel so soft, yes. You couldn’t help but dig your face into the hood, yet your cold, and now clammy, skin wasn’t warming up.

“Dunno if it’s normal for humans to be cold as ice,” Papyrus mumbled out, trying not to express his worry. 

“AHAH!” From deep within his pockets he discovered a hand warmer, one he’s never used despite Asgore’s warnings about freezing up. Without further ado, he plops the small pouch on top of your cold head. 

They watch for a few seconds. “Don’t think that small pouch will do much, bro,” Papyrus says before awkwardly trying to turn his skull to get a good view of your pale face. “Hey, you’re taking ‘let’s chill’ literally, don’t you think?” he tries to joke about, but all it manages to do was twist swapSans’ face into that of disgust. He never enjoyed his brother’s puns and jokes. 

“I can’t rest… no, I have to find them, please!” you insist, scrambling your way out of Papyrus’ hold, but dang were his arms firm and strong. 

“Hm… what do to…”

“Error! All-knowing bff!” swapSans blurts out, an idea popping into his skull. Error scoffed, lethargic and not wanting to budge from the warm sitting position he was in. “Stop being a lazy bonehead and go find her friends! I know my friends very well… only you actually, BUT! LET’S NOT DIGRESS!”

SwapSans’ glitching friend slowly descended his body to the ground, not wanting to utilize his abilities that could easily locate them in a matter of seconds. In fact, he ripped open a hole back to his white world right beside him.

“ERROR! ARE YOU TRYING TO AVOID YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES?!”

Error wasn’t having any of it. He rolled to his left and fell through the ripped portal, yelling out “to the fluff no” in the process. All swapSans could do was rush to the portal and fall to his knees, peeking his head through it.

“YOUNG MAN! COME BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!”

“Heh, let’s get you comfy back at my place, how does that sound?” Papyrus muttered out to you. No words left your mouth, your mind worried and plaguing you with the ‘what ifs’ that could be occurring right now to your friends. 

Without your approval Papyrus walked back inside the comfy house, startling Asgore with your pale appearance. “Oh, why are you in such a bad shape _____? Papyrus, what occurred for her to be in this state?” he asked, rushing to your aid. 

“I’m fine, really-”

“Save your energy small one,” Asgore interrupts, lifting you off of Papyrus’ back and into his own arms. “We will clean you up and bring your health back up!”

Papyrus followed Asgore down the hallway, but halted when he had reached his brother’s room. “How about we camp her here?” The large beast turned, surprised by Papyrus’ words. “I mean… small bro is gonna be here taking care of her, tucking her in probably and readin’ her some sweet space fiction or somethin’. I’ll be gone, zooming out of here like Sans on a sugar rush.” 

Your heart dropped at how quickly your mind thought up of sugarSans upon hearing about swapSans’ sugar rush. “Well, I suppose that is a sound decision, Papyrus. I’ll set her in Sans’ room then.”

Papyrus waved a goodbye at you before opening a door, leaving you in Asgore’s arms, unable to force yourself to be content with the situation. Asgore seems to take notice, quickly entering Sans’ room as he pondered to himself. 

“May I ask what brought you to carry such a pale complexion?” he begins a conversation, gently setting you down on to Sans’ galactic-themed room. It was quite… adorable. But it also seemed to bring nostalgia, and you’re not sure why.

“I don’t know. Suddenly felt kind of, um, weak and all,” you explain, unable to warm yourself up despite the blankets and heated home. Asgore covers you in two blankets, only to frown at the sight of your shivering. “Just got to um… sleep… kind of feel sooo tired-”

“I must stop you there, for that sounds very worrisome. Unfortunately, I lack the necessary knowledge to know much about the human species, but I am certain I can find information in the right places.” He got up and plucks out his phone from the nightstand, dialing quickly. All you could do was watch as your mind slowly drifted off from reality, vision becoming blurry and body getting even colder. 

It was surprising to see where your life has taken you. From having woken up in an operation table with curious scientists, mind clouded with despair and fear, witnessing death, memories being pieced together, and now to this… sick. Sick and worried to the point that your stomach is twisting in painful knots over the thousands of horrid possibilities.

Fortunately, the torment you were putting yourself through didn’t last long. SwapSans had slammed open the door to his room, an apple being held by his teeth. He began to speak, but his words were muffled by the apple, his body quickly dashing past Asgore and towards your own.

And that’s what you last recall. SwapSans’ face with his mouth trying to speak with an apple.

 

\--

 

It wasn’t too difficult to find them, your friends. In fact, Papyrus has been watching from afar as two rogue skeletons waltzed right into the ruins. While he never asked you about their appearance or who they might be, he’s definitely sure that those two skeletons, that stuck out like a sore thumb, were the friends you talked about. I mean, seriously, look at them. Some greaser-looking tall skeleton accompanied by the complete opposite, a colorful and optimistic Sans. He would have heard by now about them being residents here, but no, they popped into existence out of thin air. 

He was just as curious to know if his brother’s imaginary friend, Error, had some doing in this. Error gave him a bad vibe, but alas he couldn’t stick long.

Seeing as how Asgore was left with the two skeletons Papyrus decided to pay Snowdin a visit. In a matter of seconds, he dropped the cigarette he was pulling out, startled to see residents rushing in and out of their houses. 

Surprised, he dodged the residents and their panicked steps and tried to enter the local bar. Some appeared confused whilst others had dread in their eyes, stopping by Papyrus to greet him before continuing with their panicked selves.

“Oh Papyrus! It’s such a relief to see you, although it isn’t such a good time, now is it?” one resident had stopped to have a quick chat, their tail wagging frantically. They looked like some rabbit-dog cross breed, their tall ears drooping in order to express their terror. “You really need to evacuate out of here, there’s a big creature trampling down everything in its path and and and… and it’s coming towards us-fuck this, save YOURSELF BUD!” they ended the conversation, causing Papyrus to rush outside. 

Skeptical, he began to teleport throughout the town, curious to see what kind of “creature” was causing this much panic. By now it should have been taken down by the Royal Knights, or soldiers even, but to hear it still running loose wasn’t a good sign.

At last he came across a scene where trees were flattened, the sheer size of the trail being left behind making him twitch in disappointment. He might have an idea of who this was.

“I guess it’s time I clean this mess up again, huh? Should have ended it when I had the chance, damn.” He teleports and takes a good guess of where the monster could be, failing the first few times. During the fifth failure he pulled out a cigarette, continuing with his search after he lit it. 

“HeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEElloooooo!” a loud roar erupted from behind Papyrus, who was currently in his twelfth attempt to spot the perpetrator. The voice alone gave it away to him, a smile being placed on to his skull. 

He turned slowly, taking his time with his sweet cigarette. The monster leaped and landed feet away from him, long snout inches away from the skeleton’s skull. Its initial growl transformed into that of twisted laughter, muzzle lifted to show its several rows of canines. 

“Too soon for a reunion, no?” Papyrus hollered out, holding his cigarette and staring up at was once Temmie. He has defeated this beast dozens of times, no, he’s lost count. However, it’s been too long since he has last seen him. 

To see the nightmare return can only mean that it had managed to get through the castle’s defenses despite Alphys’ strict rules. Cameras had been set up, motion sensors, touch sensitive floors, anything you can think of. 

Now he’s standing before the enormous beast, four-legged wolf-lion hybrid with, oddly enough, a straight and long mane. It seemed to carry Temmie’s facial features over, especially it’s over exaggerated ears, and without the ripped shirt being stuck to its sharp back, then nobody would have thought it was once a Temmie. 

“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we, long lost friend?” the beast growled out, a set of claws slowly wrapping themselves around Papyrus’ thin figure. He didn’t flinch, well aware of the previous successful attempts he’s made in defeating the nightmare. “I just need ooooooone more human soul… and you, coincidentally, REEK of it.”

“She’s not for sale, Tem,” he casually responded back, angering the beast. He teleported out of its grasp, reappearing to the right of it. “But… uh, this is new. Seeing you busting out of the castle-”

“You think hiding those precious human souls in THE COFFINS WOULD STOP ME?! It’s as if you deliberately WANTED me to reach this form once again… it was so easy to persuade an innocent soul to do my deeds,” the beats explained, its long tongue slithering in and out of its place, attempting to intimidate Papyrus.

“Eh, beats me. I wasn’t gonna be in charge of protecting it when I had my own jobs to keep. Corndogs aren’t gonna sell themselves, you know.”

The creature began to circle Papyrus, long and feathery tail occasionally grazing his bones. “Tell me where the human is.”

“This is getting old, old pal.”

“You’re a pathetic sack of bones, an idiot who wants to forget that nightmares such as I exist in this realm… nightmares WILLING TO RIP THE FABRIC OF EXISTENCE!” it roared out, paws immediately slashing towards Papyrus' direction. As expected, the skeleton dodged it with ease, teleporting out of the way. “Have you ever cherished life? The sweet dew of friendship and bridges burned down by your apathetic behavior? Do you not desire to wrap everybody around your thin, skeletal, cold fingers? To grasp the world in your hands? Yes… of course you have. I KNOW how you are. I am very well aware of your true colors, Papyrus.”

“Sorry pal, gotta cut your vacation short,” Papyrus responded, left pupil glowing dark orange. The glow filled Temmie with a sense of adventure, already knowing the path of its destiny. 

“I wasn’t born yesterday, you pathetic fool,” it hissed, face curling into that of a distorted smile, eyes staring down lifelessly at the skeleton. Strands of hair blocked some of its vision. “You’re not worth my time… anymore.” All of a sudden its mouth opened up at an impossible angle, a bright flicker of light catching Papyrus by surprise. 

He teleported out of the way in an instant, a powerful white beam shooting out of the beast’s mouth and ripping across the landscape. With the flick of Papyrus’ wrist he summoned an army of bones, waiting for the dust and smoke to settle down. However, once it has, Temmie was no longer to be found. 

“Now where could he have gone… always wanted to get a shot at me first before anything.” He sighed. “Did I grow old to him? Lackluster?”

This needed to end, whether he liked it or not. Their brawls used to take place in judgement hall, where he would easily defeat the beast in a matter of minutes. While the damage taken by the castle was tremendous, the silver lining to it was the lack of casualties. 

But this was different. They were no longer in the castle, nor judgement hall.

Papyrus dropped his cigarette and, with the army of bones, teleported himself out of the vicinity, ready to end the nightmare’s life as he had done a plethora of times.


	54. “sorry ‘bout that, her mind’s not… good. yeah, not good."

“It has to be this way, for I’m afraid she hasn’t woken up,” Asgore solemnly stated, pouring his guest some tea. SugarSans had immediately left to see you after hearing your condition, yet gasterSans stayed to initiate a delicate conversation with the king of the underground. 

“i go by a different set of rules,” gasterSans responded with a hint of frustration, unable to convince the goat father of whisking you away. “also, from what i’ve seen, you have failed to heal her as well.”

“Forgive me and my stubborn position, but I insist that she stay. For her own good. If your world is that similar to my own, you will lack the necessary information and equipment to keep her stable.” The tea had been done and Asgore held both cups. GasterSans refused when he was offered some, the king sitting down comfortably in his large chair. “However, I am willing to let my guests stay for the sake of her condition. She has been quite needy for her comrades, whom I’m assuming are my two guests.”

“don’t think giving her tea and magic will do anything.”

Asgore could only respond with a faint smile, drinking a small portion of his tea. Meanwhile gasterSans was pondering about the solutions to your random bout of illness, mind digging through the medical conversations he shared with his once-alive brother. Unfortunately, due to believing that such danger wouldn’t arise, he didn’t pay much attention. 

“I beg you pardon?” Asgore suddenly spoke out, startling gasterSans. “Excuse my intrusion… but my curiosity knows no bounds.” He sets the tea down. “If it is true that our beloved _____ is not from here… does she, perhaps, carry any connection to an individual by the name of Error?”

He drew blanks, unable to connect the name to a face, prompting him to shake his head. “I see. I was hoping you would have an answer to her sudden appearance in our world as a result of the alternate version of my Sans.” This revelation caught gasterSans by surprise, who immediately recalled the way you have disappeared, into a white void. 

“what are the details to that?” he demanded, voice stern and body tensed up, finally able to answer the question as to the one responsible of your disappearance. 

“For a long time… Sans had been speaking of an imaginary friend. While I deemed it reasonable, his imagination without limits, little did I expect this imaginary friend to be more than just one of his fabrications.” GasterSans crossed his arms, ready to listen to what he had to say while Asgore took sips from his tea between sentences. “In reality, this individual was the one behind your friend’s disappearance from your world. As well as her appearance in my home.”

“mind tellin’ me how he looks like?”

“I apologize, for I have never set my eyes on this imaginary friend. However, I am almost certain your friend has already witnessed him. Perhaps asking her would be best, seeing as how neither of you are acquainted with Sans or Papyrus.” GasterSans remained sitting in his chair as he tried to make sense of what he has heard.

While it is not out of the question, it’s possible that this enemy has something to do with the strange phenomena occurring back at his universe.

“thanks,” he mumbled out before standing up, making his way towards the room you were resting in. Asgore sighed out, staring at his nearly-empty cup of tea. 

“If only you were here, Toriel… frankly, you are best suited at experiencing what I currently am.” He stared out his window, yearning to see his now deceased wife. It’s been many years, the fight he’s been trying to win to forget about her, but he has never succeeded. It was impossible. 

The sound of metal pans falling down from their places in the kitchen ceiling snapped Asgore out of his thoughts, his body quickly standing up. 

From the entrance to the kitchen he saw… Sans. No, it wasn’t the Sans he knows. His bones and clothes had their colors inverted, their tear trails instilling fear in Asgore. 

Error was just as surprised, having opened the portal a wee bit to the left of his desired location. “uh.” He disappears into another rip in space and time, Asgore’s jaw wide open upon the closure of the portal. 

This time Error didn’t mess up, opening it right beside swapSans, who was in the middle of a conversation with sugarSans. This instantly angered him, refusing to believe that the stupid sugar skeleton was talking to his bff.

“YOU,” Error called out, stepping a foot closer to sugarSans, who swiveled his head to glance at the source, gasping at the sight. “no, stop starin’ and get the hell out of here-”

“ERROR!” swapSans interrupted, standing up from his sitting position beside the bed. “MANNERS!”

“do you still have that pocket watch?” sugarSans asked, remembering his last encounter with the glitch. “it’s, uh, kinda important to me and all.” Error glared at the two skeletons, face flustered and unable to allow another monster to get close to swapSans.

“is that it? the damn watch? i go snatch this human up and this is how i’m repaid for fuck’s sake?! heh… heheh, yeah, what else did i expect… heheheheh, everythin’ was going fine, yes, juuuuuust fine, and my only reason for existence is slowly being snatched AWAY FROM ME!” he raises his distorted voice, panic forming inside swapSans. SugarSans was puzzled, unable to understand what this glitch was speaking of. 

SwapSans approaches his friend, nervous for his safety. “Error… stop that, you’re acting weird.” In response the error clutched his friend’s shoulders, beginning to laugh in an erratic way.

“and YOU… everybody but you, they could go away, right?! who would miss them?! I SURE AS HELL WOULDN’T-” he was cut short by sugarSans, who pulled swapSans away from his grasp. “you all don’t even realize… that i’m capable of erasing your existence with the lift of my finger,” he kept going on, his voice more distorted and twisted than before, the ends of his fingers beginning to glimmer blue. “about time i stretch them out, deleting the STATIC AWAY FROM-”

SwapSans embraced the glitch, easily making him groan and give up his terrifying stance. “ARE YOU SAD ERROR?! IS THAT IT?! It’s okay, you can tell your magnificent friend the woes of your soul… even if I don’t... understandmostofthetimewhatyou’resaying,” he mumbled out amidst his tight hug, unable to let his friend go. Error tried his best to squirm out, preventing his usage of abilities in fear of hurting swapSans.

SugarSans stood there, not knowing how to take it all in. Now he’s even more confused than ever.

He shook his head, turning to face you and your pale complexion. “don’t worry sugar, i’m here. i found you and ain’t letting you go.”

“it was damn easy to kidnap her,” Error blurted out, causing swapSans to burst into a fit of SSHHHH’s, a finger pressed firmly against Error’s lips. SugarSans felt hurt, unable to deny how naïve and gullible he was. “get away from me you wimpy blueberry, haven’t changed my fluffing mind about destroying universes yet.”

The intensity of his glitches were increasing according to his mood, confused and tormented on the inside. However, they cease the moment he sees swapSans lift up his head, eyes glossy with tears. “will you go on a vacation too?”

There was internal glitched screaming occurring in Error, who was unable to process the thought of seeing his bff in such a depressed mood. In response he winced, defeated at last. “do you, uh... wanna watch the novella? i’ll watch the fillers with you.” This easily perked his friend back up, causing Error to wonder if swapSans had faked his tears. 

“IT’S A DATE!” the small skeleton enthused out, causing Error to scowl in shock. 

“i.. refuse to believe it’s a date!”

“LET ME GET OUT MY DATE BOOK!”

“it ain’t a date, blueberry.”

“OH WHERE COULD IT BEEEE?!?!?!” swapSans gushed out, rummaging throughout his room while sugarSans stared adoringly at your face. “THIS IS SO EXCITING, I CAN FINALLY MASTER THIS SKILL!”

“hey, listen to me, it ain’t a date.”

“Is it because you are too nervous to ask me out?! Perhaps you have trouble unveiling your true feelings! Yes! That MUST BE IT!” he kept speaking without a filter, causing Error to turn into a blushing mess. 

“i don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, blueberry!”

“Do not fear! I welcome your feelings with open arms!”

“SANS!” Error hollered out, flustered and hands covering his tomato face. “IT AIN’T A DATE.”

“LET US EXCEL IN THE DATING AREA, TOGETHER!”

“UGH.”

“This had been very unprecedented, however like the swift and intelligent royal knight I am, I WILL ACCEPT YOUR INVITATION TO A DATE.”

Error was an incoherent mess, patches of his body glitching in and out of existence as he tried to pull himself together. Meanwhile sugarSans’ eyes never left your face, thoughts of what could have happened to you clouding his mind.

The room’s loud chaos was hushed to silence when the door was creaked open, revealing gasterSans. This brightened sugarSans’ face, yet created a scowl to form in Error’s, detesting the skeleton for having ruined the showering of love swapSans was giving him. 

“Wowza, all my human’s friends are here!” swapSans pipes out, rushing to gasterSans’ side. “Weird friends… but as my duty, I must attend to the needs of my human’s comrades as I would my own!”

“thanks for takin’ care of my babe,” the tall skeleton spoke out, taking sugarSans by surprise. He gave his friend a look of betrayal, causing gasterSans to flinch and gasp at the words he had just uttered. “…”

With a light blush he turned and slammed the door shut, no longer in the room. Error grew less tense with him gone, yet sugarSans was unable to believe what he’s heard. SwapSans, on the other hand, was puzzled as to why he had left.

Upon inspecting his room, he came up with an idea. “I see, the room IS too full, of course! That must be why he refused to enter!”

 

\--

 

Your mind was foggy, body fuzzy, as you returned to your senses. But boy were you warm and you loved it. Warmth enveloped you, causing you to snuggle deeper into the blankets you were covered in. 

Voices slowly started to ring into your ears, eyelids flickering blurry images of the outside. 

Feeling as light as a feather, you sat up and allowed your hands to cover your face, massaging it. SugarSans, who had fallen asleep by the bedside, woke up with a gasp, unable to believe his eyes. 

A yawn escapes your lips, a slurry of colors slowly taking form as your vision adjusts. However, within the dark room somebody flicks the light switch, brightening the room dramatically. Instinctively you cover your eyes from the painful light, flinching and shuffling backwards.

“Dear lord, my child, have you no shame?” Asgore’s voice was the first you hear, making you frown from the disappointment dripping from it. “Are you malnourished?”

You didn’t respond. Instead you waited until your vision cleared, the silhouettes of the monsters around you finally settling to their true forms. But that wasn’t the only thing that returned to you.

Your memory has returned. 

“hey, _____, you okay there?” sugarSans asked, worried. He turned to Asgore, ill with fright. “will licorice do? text said it might perk her back up to normal when she blacked out.”

“It is difficult to say, but I am most certain that pieces of candy are not what she needs.”

“SugarSans,” you called out, making him instantly rush to your side, face filled with confusion and concern. “I… I... things.”

His pupils remained on your own, not knowing how to respond. 

“My memory… IT CAME BACK!” you rejoice, giving your dear sugary friend a surprise hug. Asgore was just as baffled. Unfortunately, just as quick as your happiness returned, it had left. Terrifying memories and connections were made, both old and new. 

Again, Asgore showed even more perplexity at the sight of your sudden shift in mood. SugarSans placed his hands on your own, demanding an answer with a look of uncertainty. 

“I’m sorry, it’s just… everything. It connected just now. I’m starting to realize that I was naïve, so childish, so… I don’t know. Things I didn’t understand a few moments ago, now I do.” You were in tears digging into your old memories that have now been returned. “Why now? Why did my memories come back now?”

All the skeleton could do was give you another hug, warming your body up. “i was worried sick for ya’, you know. don’t do that again. please.” You break the embrace, looking down at your lap. “we got the pocket watch. we got our ticket home. just uh… don’t wanna see you go away again. let’s settle down, alright?”

His words were entering through one ear and exiting the left, your mind focused on the memories that have washed upon you. Disturbed, you stand up and walk out of the room despite an Asgore who insisted you stay, dirty clothes in hand.

SugarSans rushed out of the room as well, but not before apologizing to Asgore. “sorry ‘bout that, her mind’s not… good. yeah, not good.” He didn’t try to disturb you, but followed you out the house and into the steps of the entrance, where you sat down. He plopped right beside you, not wanting you to leave his sight. 

It was silent for what seems to be an eternity, trying to revisit every memory and mingling throughout its chaos, horrified of what you’ve experienced while living with ignorance. SugarSans felt absent in the beginning, but it didn’t take long until he broke the silence, trying to make his presence known. 

“so uh… did i make a nice first impression to ya’?” 

Baffled, you glance at his anxious self, smiling like a dork. “Yeah, you made an amazing first impression. Don’t ever think I’ll forget you. I MEAN… technically I did, but something inside me told me I knew you from somewhere.” This eases him up, his sweet breath intoxicating to you. 

Suddenly he stands up. “oh, um, forgot to tell blueberry about you waking up, oh man. give me a sec.”

“No, don’t,” you quickly respond, making him halt at the highest step. “Well… yeah, go ahead, but I’ll be gone. I need to answer some questions… a lot of them. I need to return home.” This puts him on edge, pupils glowing at the thought. Without a moment’s notice he sits back down beside you, facing you and with a somber expression. 

“i don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I need to go, nothing makes sense and I don’t want to waste time here-”

You cut your words at the sight of a shadow looming before you, making you leap and trip on the steps beneath you. SugarSans swoops in to save the day, your arms clinging to dear life to his one arm as you stare up at gasterSans, who had sneaked up on you. 

Then again he probably made it noticeable, but you were too busy of trying to think of the ways to return back to the laboratory in your own universe.

“you aren’t going back alone,” he firmly states, making you grow grim.

He didn’t know who killed his brother, and now with these memories… you did. You were far too ashamed and feeling at fault to confess, but perhaps the truth can wait. Before anything, you wanted to return back to the laboratory, demand answers, and save both Alphys and Paige from the monster you once thought you were slowly befriending. 

Yeah, some friend. Duffle coat Sans nearly killed you… and murdered, in cold blood, your dear friend. You couldn’t forgive yourself for that, even if the memory loss was beyond your control. You somehow felt at fault, that maybe, just maybe, you could have not been a coward and acted. Maybe it could have been you who was dead and not Papyrus.

“No, I want to go alone, and I can’t have either of you follow me. It’s my problem that I don’t want to drag anyone into anymore. I’ve already dragged you deep into this mess of looking for me, and now… well, I don’t want you to continue on. What if something happens to either of you?!” you start to speak quicker, terrified at the thought of a knife being impaled through any of them.

“hey hey hey,” sugarSans mumbled softly, his hands confused and not knowing where to rest in fear of you slapping them away, similar to your similar state in Waterfall. “i won’t let anybody lay a finger on ya’. it’s you over me-”

“You don’t understand,” you interrupt, stepping away from the both of them. “These memories… everything… I’m remembering what I did before, and what new memories I’ve made and I feel like, no, I know that you’ll get hurt eventually. I don’t want that!”

GasterSans watched as sugarSans grew confused, not knowing how to respond or react to her words. “you haven’t heard the trip down to hell we went through to find you, alright?,” the taller skeleton finally speaks out, his golden pupil focused on your own. You quickly broke eye contact, feeling guilty.

“Please let me go by myself, I really don’t want you guys to go,” you insisted, preferring to look at sugarSans. “I’m going to feel terrible if you guys accompany me… and then I won’t be able to focus. What if you guys get hurt?”

“what if you get hurt?” sugarSans replies, just as worried. You shut up, unable to promise that you would be safe. GasterSans lets out a sigh, glancing up at the ceiling.

“keep us in touch on the happenin’s, alright?”

“w-what?”

“Oh my god, yes, thank you,” you breathed out, giving gasterSans a surprise hug before you dash off back inside. The two skeletons watched as you left, sugarSans baffled and staring back at his friend.

“i dunno, i really don’t want her to go alone,” sugarSans mumbled, concerned and with his hands digging into his pockets. “what if i lose her again?”

“won’t happen,” he responds back, lighting up a cigar. “let’s break the rules.” SugarSans kept staring, confused. “let her keep believin’ we’re safe here and..." he explained, his hands moving along with the words. "then we sneak out, ok? we follow her back to her place.”

SugarSans watched him enter back into the house, questions bouncing inside his skull. “are you sure we should do that? shouldn’t we tell her? what if she gets mad? we uh, might get caught too. also am not so fond of the duffle coat controller skele back at her place.”


	55. "I wish I could turn off that fear factor and act like a hero, you know, save the day."

Papyrus blasted the transformed Temmie with a gaster blaster, never dropping his cigarette during the battle he had started. The wolf-Temmie hybrid, who Papyrus had nicknamed the fluffy nightmare, panted in the distance, frustrated of the constant defeats and humiliations Papyrus had put him through. For once he was desperate to win. 

He wanted to kill the damn skeleton. 

Papyrus easily dodged the beast, teleporting at random intervals and locations. He kept impaling his enemy with his sharp bones, their edges giving off a faint orange sheen. 

His red pullover was hanging on a tree branch, torn and with marks that could only have been made by sharp claws. 

But the pace of the battle, heavily in favor of Papyrus, changed when a lone yellow flower popped into view. It was Flowey, and not the quirky Floweys that Papyrus is accustomed to seeing in his universe.

Temmie smirked deviously, claws rapidly approaching the unsuspecting flower that was about to open its mouth. "Hold up!" was all Papyrus could manage before teleporting to the spot, forcing bones to stab Temmie's approaching paw. The beast flinched, quickly retreating from the sudden burst of pain. "Sup lil' buddy?" he mumbled to the flower beneath him. 

It was a flower, those talking flowers he knew about, but it didn't carry the same face nor the same appearance. This one lacked petals and carried a face filled with bruises and terror. 

"Don't 'sup' me you fool, RUN!" Flowey shrieked out, leaping and digging deep into his short pockets.

Temmie leaped, nearly catching the skeleton if it wasn't for him teleporting the last second. Papyrus immediately sent a tsunami of bones down the enemy's way, buying himself some time to sneak out of battle and drop the flower far off.

"Ey, try to pop in the middle of a play-date next time instead, will ya'?" Papyrus suggested, only for the flower to let out a grunt of disapproval, wrapping himself around the skeleton's leg bones. 

"C'mon, can't be fightin' that fluffy thing with you like that."

"There's no need to fight that THING when you can take me to _____ this instant!" Flowey demanded, causing Papyrus to halt and stare down. "What are you doing?!? RUN ALREADY! Go!"

Papyrus chuckled, only to grow tense at the sound of Temmie in the distance, who was approaching quickly. "Hey lil' one, hide and stay close. Got a budddy o' mine I gotta chill with first," he mumbled as he turned and stared at the sight of faraway vegetation being torn down. Flowey did as he was told, not wanting to get killed during the battle.

"COME OUT COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE," the beast sang out with a poison-tipped tongue, tearing down everything in its path. Papyrus waited patiently out in the open land, double-checking where the flower had hid in order to prevent anything from occurring in that certain spot.

"Are you mocking me?!" Temmie suddenly barked out at the sight of his enemy looking like a sitting duck, in plain view and without motion. "YOU FOOL!"

Papyrus ducked down at the sight of incoming claws flying above him, slicing the air around. The skeleton instantly grabbed a handful of its fur, climbing up and stabbing the creature with bones before jumping off, dodging another set of bites and tail whipping. 

"You annoying PEST!" it hollered, frustrated that it was unable to land a hit on Papyrus, who was always one step ahead. "Why are you willing to waste your time when you could aid me in this conquest!"

"Nah, ain't my cup of tea," Papyrus responded back casually, summoning a row of gaster blasters. Their menacing jaws opened as Papyrus enveloped Temmie in an orange glow, causing it to snarl and attempt to blast them with its own beams. Unfortunately, Papyrus is all too familiar with Temmie's attack patterns, being able to pin point when he will strike next.

He slams the creature down to the ground, although with a bead of sweat due to the tremendous size. The gaster blasters soon followed suit, their mouths opening at ungodly angles to release their potent orange beams.

Papyrus watched as the beams brightened the area, pushing the beast and engulfing it in their hot rays. The snow beneath was impacted, displaced, and thrown up.

However, the creature withstood the blast, although with most of its fur burnt and with its body releasing dark smoke. 

"How... distasteful," Temmie panted out before collapsing on to the ground. Papyrus allowed his gaster blasters to return to their world, no longer needed. The skeleton crouched in front of the beast's muzzle, blowing a line of smoke towards it. "It was you who ended my reign of terror all those millennia ago... but it will return."

Unfazed, swapPapyrus stood back up, dusting his clothes free of dirt, snow, and garbage. "If that will help you sleep at night, bud, then keep dreamin' that." He summoned one, lone, sharp bone. Its end was pointing at the creature's chest, which was erratically rising and falling due to the sporadic breathing.

"Watch that human girl closely, Papyrus," Temmie growled, catching the skeleton off guard. "I am no dimwit; I know very well of the soul she carries. It is reminiscent of the last human that walked among us... yes, the one that threatened your so-called friends." 

"Ok, s’that all?"

A twisted, deformed smile erupted on the beast's face, letting out a bark of choked-out laughter. "Have you no shame? Siding with the enemy?"

Papyrus sighed out, tuning out the dying Temmie in front of him.

"Ignore me all you want, you gullible dimwit, however... I am not alone this time," he revealed, finally catching Papyrus' attention. "I was greeted by a very... intelligent being. They gave me the answers I sought for, the attention I DESIRED... EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED," Temmie began to explain, his energy returning as he slowly lifted himself to his four paws. 

"Tch, guess I ain't gonna be able to read bro a bed time story tonight," the skeleton grumbled, alert and cautious of the monster's movements. 

"We will divide you all like the stupid idiots you all are, and when the time comes that I get to watch you all burn... I will savor that moment-" Aggravated by his words, Papyrus had impaled the sharp projectile deep into Temmie's chest. 

The beast collapsed to the ground, its body being shaven off into dust until there was only the small figure of an actual Temmie left. Papyrus didn't waste another moment, walking over to the small creature as he summoned another bone. 

"Sweet dreams, old pal," he mumbled before he forced the sharp bone down, only to flinch at the sight of Temmie quickly rolling out of the attack, the bone hitting dirty snow. Temmie ran off into the nearby woods, never looking back as it tumbled over its own ripped shirt.

Papyrus dropped the bone, which disappeared in a cloud of magical dust, an eerie orange glow surrounding it. "Well, shit. The hell do I start looking to find whatever henchmen that fluffy nightmare summoned up?" He refused to believe Temmie's words regarding the strange being, having seen those said "truths" turn out to be lies later down the road. The comment could have been another fabrication of Temmie's mind, who was attempting to get into Papyrus' skull. 

But the thought lingered as he began to walk back to Snowdin', never hearing anything like it before. 

Meters back, deep in the snow, a flower slowly dug itself out of its hiding spot. It gasped at the sight of Papyrus walking away from the battleground, distraught that it had forgotten about him. 

Angered, Flowey slipped back down into the earth and guessed where Papyrus' feet were, popping back up into the surface above. Unfortunately, he didn't measure the distance... he was too far ahead.

"Hey! You!" Flowey yelled out, trying to catch Papyrus' attention. "You stupid skeleton!"

Papyrus glanced up, deep in thought. "Oh hey lil' sunflower bud. How's it goin' down there?"

"HOW'S IT GOING?! HOW?!" Flowey repeated mockingly, slicing his way through the snow and making his way to the skeleton. "YOU LEFT ME BACK THERE!"

"Heh, yeah, whoops. Looks like I forgot," he chuckled out, dropping the cigarette that had run out of life. Flowey glared at him, impatient and desperate. "Chill, I got you covered. Didn't forget about the _____-meetin' thing."

Flowey slithered up his legs, resting inside his pocket. "I know you're faster than this, you idiot, TELEPORT!"

Papyrus collapsed down, causing Flowey to shriek and slide out his pocket. "Eh, give me a sec... gotta recharge my batteries here-"

"YOU'RE WORSE THAN THAT SUGAR-SWEET MESS."

"That colorful Sans-look alike dude?" Papyrus guessed, being able to imagine the happy look on your face upon seeing sugarSans and gasterSans. "So you know that greaser-lookin' dude too?"

"Shut up and TAKE ME TO HER!" Flowey demanded, impatient and bristling. Papyrus rolled over, his face digging into the snow below. This angered the flower, who began jumping on the skeleton's back, his black shirt being spotted with dirty snow. "GO. NOW. GET. UP. NOW! GET UP. STOP THIS. LISTEN TO ME!!! I'M CAPABLE OF DESTROYING CITIES! FEAR ME! GET UP!"

"Nope," he muffled out, comfortable and resting heavenly on the snow.

"ARGH! Where are they? Where are those stupid fools?!"

Papyrus paused, lifting his head to try to remember. "Uh... oh, yeh, back at the ruins bud. Be careful, alright lil' sunflower?"

"I'M NOT A SUNFLOWER!" Flowey screeched before disappearing down below, quickly digging his way towards the ruins. Papyrus sighed out, enjoying the peace and serenity after a long battle.

"Man... did Gory run out of honey? Kinda diggin' some at the moment."

 

\--

 

You were rummaging through the cabinets, the dressers, the kitchen supplies, the bathrooms, the bedrooms, everywhere for that pocket watch. It was nowhere in sight. Despite your memory, for the love of your life, you couldn’t remember where you last saw that damn pocket watch. There was no time to waste, both your friends, Alphys and Paige, are in trouble.

The memories you had experienced while carrying freaking amnesia were replaying in your mind, the worst one being constantly repeated over and over again. It was all your fault. Papyrus’ death could have been prevented.

But also, your heart was shattered to pieces. It’s as if those same pieces got shattered even more at the constant repetition of the memory, unable to believe that he was capable of such a thing.

Duffel coat Sans might have been the rude and sadistic mess he is, but he was incapable of murdering… was he? You knew him for so long, and yet, you couldn’t expect him to be capable of such. What else was he capable of? Was it all a lie? It must have been, and you’re sure as hell terrified at the thought of Alphys and Paige living in the same laboratory that murderer resided in.

Frantic, you emptied out the contents of everything in swapSans’ and swapPapyrus’ room, cursing when unable to find the pocket watch.

“HEYA! MY HUMAN FRIEND!” swapSans jumps into view. You force up a smile, not wanting him to be aware of the dangers you were perturbed by. Error waltzed right in, his appearance sending chills down your spine. “No no, I know very well how you feel right about now… that you are so happy YOU CAN’T SPEAK! OF COURSE! Are you excited to be speaking to your eerily-similar-me friends?!”

“fluff you. just cuz i look like a glitchin’ mess,” Error growled at you in response to your stares, making you blink and blush from embarrassment. SwapSans gasped and glared at Error, who held his head high, only to crumble a second later.

“LISTEN UP MISTER!” swapSans began, causing Error to open a portal back to his empty white realm. “NOW YOU COME BACK AND APOLOGIZE TO THIS INNOCENT MAIDEN!” he continued as Error began to close the portal. Once it had closed, swapSans trembled from the sheer thought of his rudeness.

He glanced at you, his expression easily changing to that of cheerfulness. “Don’t pay Error any attention, he can be a thick-skull and rude… many times… a lot… well, MAYBE HE’S ALWAYS LIKE THAT, but he’s the only one who keeps me at my toes! I need him in my life,” he explains, making you admire his patience when it comes to both Error and Papyrus. You’re sure you would constantly be terrified of Error, but not swapSans. He’s one brave skeleton. 

“You know, you’re very brave,” you speak out your thoughts, making swapSans grow surprised. “I’m afraid of a lot of things and sometimes I get so scared that I freeze… it’s something I hate about myself, even if it’s a common thing. I wish I could turn off that fear factor and act like a hero you know, save the day. Prevent others from getting hurt in the face of danger… preventing… deaths,” you trail off, no longer wanting to thread on the subject.

SwapSans gave you a look of sympathy, pulling out a stick figure from his pockets as he sits beside you on the floor, eyes glimmering blue. “Don’t be sad, _____. Look,” he spoke, directing your attention to the Error-looking doll he was holding. There were a lot of stitches that were becoming undone, although the red buttons for eyes looked irresistibly adorable. “You see?! It even makes you humans smile! Mwehehehehe!” 

“It’s because it’s so cute and adorable,” you admit, missing the dolls back at your old place. Sans kept laughing in pride, content after seeing you smile in joy. 

“I must get you a happiness action figure of your own! Yes!” he began to plan in his head, hands fiddling and making shapes. Those hand movements appear to help him with his thinking. “Oh wowzie, I can finally have a happiness-sharing-action-figure partner! Papyrus and Error always turn down the amazing request of getting a happiness action figure of their own,” he sadly explained, pouting at the thought. “BUT! NO MORE! I will prove to them that I am not weird! Behold as I make them realize that THEY are the weird skeletons!”

You giggle at his words, swapSans being the only one so far to force you out of your depressive and frantic state. In fact, now you were being silly and imagining what kind of doll you could have. 

“Do not be afraid to contact me when you have discovered your inner desires and found out who your action figure will be!”

“Of course!” you respond hardheartedly, mind finally returning back to the reason behind the mess in his room. “But um, I have an important question.” He stops his laughter and glances at you, making you take several breaths. “Do you know where my pocket watch could be? I know you’ve seen it, it’s this weird thing that I can make calls with and that has this holograph and stuff and all… yeah, you know what I mean.” SwapSans opened his mouth to speak, only to stop and think it through.

“Will finding your watch make you happy again? If so, LEAVE IT TO ME! Your guardian and fellow magnificent Sans, will search for the missing piece of your happiness!”

“Hey, maybe you and Error can maybe find it together? I think I also remember he knows a lot of things… and stuff. Maybe he might have seen my watch?” you suggest, making swapSans smile widely in glee.

“ANOTHER D-D-D-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE?!” he thought to himself, lightly blushing, sighing romantically. “No, this is an amazing opportunity to sharpen my skills in dating! I can be the next dating expert… and help YOU get a date too!” he fantasizes, making you shake your head.

“No it’s okay, I don’t have the time nor the, uh, well, I just don’t feel like it’s a good time,” you sheepishly responded, standing up and continuing your search. SwapSans leaps up, fixing his large blue scarf.

“I wish you the BEST of luck with your search for the missing watch,” he happily says before giving you a tight hug, lifting you up with ease. You squeaked out in fear of him falling, making him giggle. “But FORTUNATELY FOR YOU, you have I, and my all-seeing friend Error, to aid you in the difficult quest! Farewell human!” he finally finishes, rushing out of the room clumsily. 

You waved him goodbye and space out for a few minutes, your smile being changed to a frown at the thought of Error. The first time you had met him you were certain he was the one behind Papyrus’ death… but you were wrong. In fact, perhaps that might be why he holds a grudge against you? However, he seems to act rude and disrespectful to everybody regardless. Maybe this time he actually has a reason to be that way with you.

You shake your head, snapping out of it. Instead you continue your search, checking every nook and cranny, frantic. It wasn’t until you came across a mirror that a sudden thought crossed your mind, one that you didn’t stop to think about for a long time.

With quick hands you lift up your clothes, revealing a clean stomach and abdomen. There were no marks or tattoos. You kept staring in disbelief, confused. “No, I am sure I had a tattoo… where the hell did it go? Why did it disappear?! Why?!” you whimpered out, your body now against the mirror. You slide down, the questions that tormented you before now returning. 

But that didn’t matter now. What mattered was the safety of Alphys and Paige. With this in mind you stand back up, swallowing your worries and doubts as you continue your search for the watch. 

Throughout the search you came across useless artifacts, but most importantly, you stopped on several occasions to think about duffel coat Sans. 

Who would have ever thought…

It kept tormenting, making you more miserable every passing second. In fact, during your rummaging-session, again for the third time, in Papyrus’ room, you were infuriated with enough anger to accidentally summon your scythe and slice his dresser in half.

Panting, you glared at the slice in front of you, only for your mind to finally register what you have done and make you gasp in horror. You drop the scythe, which clinked against the floor before disintegrating into white specks of glowing magic. Guilty, you look down at the other half of the dresser to your left, which carried torn clothes of Papyrus. 

You couldn’t help it; you were frustrated yet terrified. The tears kept coming the more you lingered in the memory, unable to forgive yourself for your lack of actions and your cowardice.

It had to change.


	56. “hell, always been interested in what you humans have to offer.”

Filled with rage, you began to slice the trees before you, unable to calm down the frustrations that kept returning. Despite the snow and cold temperatures around, your body was warm and heating up by the minute, eyes glaring at the trees. They kept showing you faint images of the damn duffel coat skeleton, making you grit your teeth and slice evermore. 

You had sneaked out after your failed mission to find the pocket watch. While you should have asked both gasterSans and sugarSans about its whereabouts, you didn’t want to confront them in fear of changing your mind about their absence in your future trip back home. It was for the best, or so you thought. 

The scythe, glowing with power and its energy being able to be felt in your body, was as strong as ever. You didn’t bother to question why you could summon it, instead you assume it’s due to your anger.

“how about you learn how to swing that thing around?” a voice interrupted your thoughts, making you quickly sidestep and turn. Leaning against a sliced tree behind you was gasterSans, cigar burning. You make your magical weapon disappear, not expecting company.

“Did you see all that? Sorry… thought I was alone. Didn’t see anybody follow me,” you apologize, recalling that you were cursing and shouting towards the trees you were murdering. The more you thought into it, the redder you got.

He gave you a smug smile, pushing himself off the tree and towards you. “you’re handlin’ the scythe wrong. gotta be holdin’ it right if you wanna keep surviving out there.” He stops when he’s beside you, signaling for you to summon the scythe.

You try, but fail. “Well, it’s difficult to explain… can’t really summon the scythe when I want to.” He eyes you, skeptical of what he’s just seen. “I mean, yeah, you just saw me use it, but I was just… so angry and all… it pops into view, I grab it, and start slicing stuff.”

He chuckles to himself, his golden pupil scanning the area you’ve chopped down. “you left a trail back inside too, hm?” he comments, making you blush at the thought of him seeing Papyrus’ sliced dresser. “don’t sweat it, i remember when i used to lose my temper,” he tries to comfort you, extending his arm out. You watch, curious. “you’ll get the hang of it, it ain’t hard.” Suddenly, you see the hole in his hand materialize a mustard-colored orb inside it, floating and with specks of magical dust plummeting down. 

Confused, you glance back up to meet his face, yet his pupil was focused on his hand. You follow his pupil, only to gasp at the sight of the orb transforming into a pastel yellow scythe in an instant. Unlike your own, his scythe solidified and revealed that it was created from bones, a faint yellow glow surrounding its edges.

You gawked, baffled and amazed all at once. No words escaped your words as you grew overexcited, eyes widening at the sight of another scythe-wielder. 

“hold the applause,” he said with a conceited smile, only to show off by twisting the scythe around his arms at an unimaginable speed. This made you squeak out in glee, always having wanted to see such in person. 

Once you calmed down, you spat out the first question in your mind. “How come I’ve never seen it until now? I’ve seen you in combat before… well, actually, maybe I just wasn’t paying attention-”

“you gained paps' trust,” he put it simply, making you blush from the honor. “he really believed in you. wouldn’t shut up one minute about you. he really wanted to make you part of our family,” he explained, although his tone carried a hint of despair. “can’t let you live through that hell again, so be thankful i’m using up my time to show you a thing or two.”

“Oh no, it’s okay, I don’t want you to train me if you don’t want to,” you blurt out, feeling guilty enough. “I can’t begin to learn if I can’t even summon my own scythe anyway.” He wasn’t having any of it, dropping the scythe in front of you, prompting you to clumsily save it from the fall. Surprisingly, the scythe’s magic tickled your hands, much heavier than your own.

When you glanced up from the scythe, gasterSans was yards away, facing you amidst the dense woods. He cleared the area around you by summoning a dozen bones, using them to slice the vegetation around to make a sort-of clear path. 

He was getting serious, and this made you gulp at the thought. 

“cat got your tongue?” he spoke after a minute of silence, making you lift his scythe in fear, not knowing what he was capable of. “can’t let you go by yourself if you go slicin’ like a babe.” You pout at his words, forcing yourself to accept his offer unwillingly. 

“Well okay, but if they find my pocket watch before we finish, then I’ll call it quits,” you add in, making him hum out his approval as his golden pupil begins to glow, showing the world that he’s now utilizing his magic.

It was… ethereal. Too perfect. The glow in their pupils that all the Sans’ you’ve met share. No, anybody that has this beautiful detail is perfect. It’s something you’ve envied, to have some sort of marker that shows when your magic is being wielded. Their eyes glimmering, and oh dear when it was dark, oh did they pop out and mesmerize you-

“OH! I’m so sorry, uh,” you blurt out when you realized you spaced out. You watched him from afar, nervous that he would train you. Paige was, well, a girl to you and a friend. It was okay to mess up in front of her. Alphys too. Duffel coat Sans, well, fuck duffel coat Sans.

GasterSans was a guy, to you at least. You’re still unsure as to how genders worked down here. And even if he wasn’t, he was… well, you still get nervous around him. Not sugarSans. You were comfortable around him to show him your odd habits and parts of you that you normally wouldn’t show others.

This training is going to go by not as smoothly as the others.

“ready?” he asked, to which you nodded nervously. He takes note of this, chuckling before lifting his dominant arm slowly, materializing bones around him. “cheer up, i ain’t gonna bite,” he mumbled out upon seeing your tense body. 

You prepare, holding the scythe the way you normally hold your own. This makes him drop his stance and teleport towards you, making you jump from fright. “I’m just nervous since um, I have no idea how you are in combat, you know?” you try to put into words what you were feeling, but he ignored your comment. Instead he stepped in front of you and corrected your stance with the scythe. 

“you looked pretty uncomfortable with it,” he said before teleporting back to his original spot, making you redden from embarrassment. He re-materialized his bones, aiming them towards you. “show me what you got,” he whispered to himself, watching as the bones rocketed towards you. To his dismay, he witnessed you scramble about, clumsily dodging and holding the scythe close your chest.

He sighed out, disappointed.

“I’ll try better next time, just need to warm up,” you squeak out, knowing you did a bad performance out of the butterflies in your stomach. He teleported to you once again, this time grabbing the scythe from your cold and clammy hands.

“don’t think into it, not your fault. gotta start with the basics first,” he tried to reassure you. “copy my movements, alright?”

You nod, only to gasp when he easily catches you off guard and slams you to the ground, your arms behind you back and tied with his own. “Don’t think I quite caught that,” you forced out, not even attempting to scramble out from underneath him. 

He helped you up. “eh, thought so,” he responded before immediately repeating his movements, startling you from how soon he redid it. He tried again and again, slowing down a tad bit every so often in order to help you catch it. 

At first you were sure you weren’t capable of being able to pull it off, especially when he told you to try it on him, to which you attempted… and failed miserably. Despite how slow you thought you were, he had the patience to let you try again and again, getting better every so often.

“So, how did you learn all of this? I’ve only seen one other, uh, Sans use close combat. Kind of got used to seeing you all use long distance and all,” you begin a conversation amidst the practice, finally able to pin him down, although messily. 

“again,” he demands, not satisfied as he stands up, ignoring your extended hand. “and, uh, old gramps taught me.” You blinked, not sure if he is referring to his father or another important figure. He takes your lack of response as confusion. “my dad.”

“Oh!” you finally blurt out, understanding. He snickers at this, adoring your silly reactions. “Do you um, miss it? Your place I mean. I’m not sure how long you’ve been here, nor how you got here, but I know that you had to leave Frisk and your friends behind.” His skeletal hands hid inside his pant pockets, face facing scenery above him.

“why wouldn’t i?”

Well, he wasn’t wrong. “Yeah, that was obvious, wasn’t it? Um um… another question, yes-”

“talkative?”

“Kind of, yes,” you respond, prompting him to rip open a door before you. “Are you sure? I mean, from what I heard I shouldn’t be going to places other than here… the underground in this universe doesn’t treat humans like me very nicely,” you voice your worries, to which he snorts in refusal and walks through.

“wasn’t born yesterday hun’.” You glanced around nervously, not knowing what to do with his scythe as you stepped through the portal. The woods were abandoned behind you and replaced with a film of darkness. 

The two of you were inside Waterfall’s labyrinth, standing in front of a stone sculpture with an old umbrella blocking the rain above. At first you didn’t notice, but there was a bittersweet melody being played by the sculpture.

“can you remember it?” gasterSans suddenly asked of you, making you freeze and pay attention to the sound. He closed the portal behind while you blinked at the sight of his scythe blinking out of existence. You glanced around, not knowing if that was normal. “c’mere, got something to show you.” Surprised, you stop listening to the melody and follow him, noting how similar the environment was to the other universes despite the unique residents.

It wasn’t a long walk, and you’re lucky there was no living creature in sight, for where gasterSans took you was… somewhere you’ve never been to. After many turns, he stopped at the entrance of a small room that contained etchings on the distant wall. A piano was beautifully set to your left, underneath the etchings. 

“It’s a piano,” you mumbled out, surprised there was such a room existing in Waterfall. GasterSans walked towards it, your fingers crossed in hopes that he plays the piano.

Fortunately, today was your lucky day.

“Oh my god, you play the piano?” you couldn’t help but think out loud as soon as he pushed the seat aside, fingers flexing before he positioned them above the piano’s keys.

“the kid taught me how,” he explained, making you smile in glee at the thought of imagining Frisk wearing a suit-and-tie whilst playing an intricate piece on the piano. However, your daydreaming was interrupted by the sound of music coming off of the piano, the melody eerily similar to that of the statue. “hell, always been interested in what you humans have to offer,” he begins a conversation, making you grab the seat he pushed aside.

“I’m starting to feel like I should have cherished my life more… back at the surface I mean. Didn’t really feel grateful for what I had, more like I felt like I was, well, kind of wanting better things. Ambition drove me, you know,” you respond with your own private thoughts as he continued to play, occasionally surprising you by switching to a different piece.

“yeah, you better feel grateful. you have it better than everybody down here in the dumps.”

“But you guys are so, I don’t know… different. Somehow. It’s very interesting to see how humans have created boundaries between ourselves,” you say with a frown, thinking about the plagues and disasters up above. “We bicker about the smallest of things, mistreat many simply by the color of their skin, or how different and odd they must look-” 

He hit a bad note, making you wince. Perhaps it was on purpose, for he immediately stopped and gave you a forlorn look. “we aren’t all that cracked to be either, ya’ know. some bad seeds here and there, myths of our own.” 

“Fortunately I met amazing hearts down here, or souls if you will, so I don’t think it was all in vain. I mean, yes, I do sometimes feel like asking the “why did this happen to me question,” but at the same time, that means somebody else would have the privilege to meet all of you.” This makes him grow astonished as you look down at your fiddling feet. “Would have been jealous to hear a human meet and get some good friends out of the underground, even if it meant they had so much hate going on about it… and speaking of which, I really am afraid about how people will treat all of you. We’re very terrible, I admit that, but…” you trail off, thinking about the history with your race.

“isn’t something new to me,” he says, very well aware of the mistreatment they’ve been given before. Of course, their own history books speak of the war between the monsters and humans.

“I know, but I feel like-”

GasterSans suddenly materializes a sharp bone and jerks his arm backwards, sending it flying towards the entrance of the room. This startled you, making you scramble to your feet and stare at where he aimed.

It took a few minutes, but eventually a lone figure stumbled into the scene.

“Oh, hello, didn’t expect to see you here,” you speak out to Error, who looked rather annoyed. “What are you doing here?” The glitching skeleton mocked your voice, approaching the two of you.

“trust me, don’t fluffing wanna be here,” he spat out. “blueberry ordered me to, so don’t think otherwise.” GasterSans stayed by your side, alert and keeping his casual look.

“Did you find the pocket watch? Is that why?” you suddenly beam up at the thought, making Error grow frustrated from the sudden display of emotion.

“yeah, whatever the fluff that is, got it here,” he says upon opening a door to his own white realm. There was a small colored dot that disturbed the perfect white background, and your guts are telling you it’s the pocket watch.

“Oh! Yes yes thank you! I’ll go get-”

GasterSans had teleported in milliseconds, returning with the device before you could even finish your sentence.

“-it. Yeah, thanks, saves me a lot of time actually.” Error began to walk into his world, making a small feeling of regret form inside you. “Error?” you called out, making him halt and glare at you from the corner of his eye. “I, um… sorry about mistaking you with a different Sans I know back when we first met. I’m sure that I got you confused when I said I might have recognized you and all and… well, that’s why I didn’t really trust you at first.”

“don’t want your fluffing trust.”

This made you frown, but yet you continued with your words. “Also wanted to say thank you for everything. Both to you and swapSans, who really kept me going. He’s really amazing, and I wish I could have met you in a different circumstance maybe…. Just wanted to let you know that I do like all of you. I really do. Even if some of you don’t look as friendly.” He rolled his eyes and closed the door, making you blush after realizing that gasterSans had seen it all.

“don’t get worked up ‘bout it, he got the idea,” gasterSans mumbled out before opening a door back to the ruins. “got some company waiting on you anyway.” He handed you the pocket watch before walking ahead. Now with the watch in hand, you cheerfully move forward.

But to your dismay, it wasn’t working. In fact, it looked broken and torn. The next hour was spent trying to fix the watch as soon as you returned to swapSans’ room. Both swapSans and sugarSans sat on either side of you, trying to help and occasionally starting a conversation here and there. 

You couldn’t help but ask a question that poked at your curiosity, to which sugarSans might have an answer to. “Do you remember when you first found me back at gasterSans’ universe?” you asked, glancing at sugarSans. SwapSans leaned forward, wanting to see the expressions you both expressed, which always made you grow amused.

“WOWIE… must be a ton of fun seeing other universes by yourself. Error is an unhappy skeleton when I try to explore uncharted lands myself! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! I, MAGNIIIIIFICENT SANS, UNABLE TO GUARD HIMSELF AGAINST THE DANGERS?!”

You and sugarSans share glances, agreeing with Error’s thoughts.

“If only Papyrus spent more time with his terrific smaller brother then I wouldn’t be yearning for the thrill of… adventure!”

“I remember when I used to enjoy adventuring when I was smaller,” you say, watching swapSans daydream about his past ventures.

“Where IS he?! Is he smoking that garbage again?! The nerve of him, I shall put an end to that filthy habit of his!” he proclaims before rushing out of the room, hollering out his name. You couldn’t help but giggle, causing sugarSans to smile at your expression.

You then turn to him, finally able to focus on your worries of the past. “About um… that question… the one about finding me back at gasterSans’ world and all.”

“yeah, of course i do. can’t forget the terrible state i found you in, god did you give me something to stay awake about,” he panicked slightly, eyes unable to return to the happiness they carried seconds ago.

“Well that’s the thing, I never bothered to ask anyone why I was the target of that nightmare that began attacking us in the castle. It was so out of place, and so sudden,” you try to put into words, trying to remember the horrifying image.

SugarSans paused, not knowing himself. “never bothered ask. you want me to? i could ask my bud about it,” he offered. You nodded, thanking him before returning to your broken pocket watch, trying to figure out what could be wrong. “hey, at least you got the hologram workin’, right?”

“Yeah, but I can’t communicate with anybody yet,” you grumbled. You kept fiddling with the watch, pulling and fixing dents here and there. “And I really need to fix this so I can return back to the laboratory. Don’t think I can wait another day not being there,” you worry, thinking about Alphys and Paige’s states. 

“you sure you don’t wanna let us tag along?” 

You give him a concerned look, hesitating before you responded. “No, I won’t go back on my word. I can’t see any of you hurt because of me.” He sighed, not satisfied as he scooted closer to you, trying to muster the courage to bring up a delicate topic he’s been wanting to bring up. However, like the shy individual he was, he couldn’t bring himself to. Not only that, but gasterSans’ words rung in his skull.

He was certain you didn’t have the time to handle a relationship amidst the mess, and the more he dwelled into that fact, the more anxious he grew. 

But it was now or never, and it was better for you to know his feelings.

He took in a deep breath, opened his mouth, and-

“Oh my god,” you breathed out the instant the watch vibrated, making sugarSans flinch. “It vibrated. Sans, it vibrated, it vibrated! It got a message!” you rejoiced, frantically opening the watch’s hologram and zipping through it.

“oh, heh, that’s good news isn’t it? that means it still works,” he faked his enthusiasm, his soul in pain due to being aware of your eventual departure. 

“And it’s outerSans!” you reveal, making your sugary friend slowly cover his face with his skeletal hands, perturbed by his feelings for you. Instead of trying again he stood up and began to walk out the room. Unfortunately, you were too excited to notice when he had commented that he needed to find gasterSans, your eyes glued on to the holographic screen.

On the screen, although broken somewhat due to the gem’s bad state, lay outerSans’ collection of texts. Your smile slowly transformed into a frown. He was… in panic. His texts got worse and eventually it sounded as if he had lost hope, sending you messages despite believing you had long forgotten him. 

They stopped a week ago. “Should I? Or… no?”


	57. “You don’t have to tell me that, it won’t change my mind.”

You tossed and turned the moment you pressed send. It was a very short text, one that said “Are you still there?” It was a stupid text and you’re not sure why you had sent it, but you did, and now you’re beginning to regret it. 

SugarSans hasn’t returned and neither has swapSans, but it was for the best. After all, last thing you wanted was for them to see you rolling around like a wrecked mess.

The pocket watch vibrated. You froze. 

With a trembling hand you let your hand slither over to the pocket watch, eyes refusing to look at the words. Not only was the text extremely quick, didn’t even take a minute, but you were expecting him to be infuriated with you to some degree.

But you didn’t know him too well, now did you?

OuterSans: “hey, sup?”

The text was short and not what you had been expecting. Baffled, you sit up straight and proceed to get yourself indulged with this old friend, conversing for what feels like hours. Not one minute passes every time you send a text, the two of you catching up and desperately trying to figure out what had happened.

Eventually the texts turned into an eventual call.

“…and that’s what happened. Yeah, it was a mess. Can’t believe I lived through that and telling you all about it now, right? Ha… um, but I don’t know how to like… make up for lost time. Feel horrible after my memories came back, remembering every single thing.”

“yeah, not a fun trip buddy.”

“Especially when I remembered I told you I would contact you that same exact day, and… and… well, that’s when I lost my memory. I’m so sorry, I really am. Reading your texts that I just received made me feel worse too, it’s like-”

“ey, it’s in the past.”

“But you must have felt bad and alone,” you solemnly said. “I would have, at least.”

“heh, don’t worry, didn’t forget about ya’ for one moment.”

“What if we have never met?” you start to imagine, guilt clogging your mind. “I wouldn’t have caused you so much worry about me. One less thing you can be burdened about.”

“what, no, lemme correct you there,” he quickly shoots back. “sometimes i dunno why i’m even trying, but uh, let me throw you a question for ya’,” he begins, making you grow curious. “do you believe in happy endings?”

This throws you off guard, making you pause to think it through. “Um… yes, you could say that. I love them, especially in stories. They always make me hope that one day I’ll reach my own happy ending. But at this point I don’t even know.”

“all right, how ‘bout we try to make yours come true?”

“What? You mean, my dreams? Oh you’re just wasting your time, trust me. They’re weird and way out of my own league. I don’t deserve them,” you playfully replied, toying with the idea. “Why not focus on yours instead? I’m sure we can make yours happen if we just try.” 

“huh, still givin’ me surprises, aren’t ya? well, i may have given up a long time ago, but i s’pose won’t hurt to give it a shot.”

“Awesome! Well, what’s your dream then? Or at least some sort of goal we can accomplish. I mean, you can’t tell me something we can never do like materialize hot dogs out of nowhere,” you giggle near the end.

You can hear him sigh dreamily on the other side. “how ‘bout we gather up all our nice friends, eh? has some nice laughs and bad jokes.”

“I wish… but, there’s also something I’ve been wanting to talk to somebody about. The watch doesn’t show any contacts other than you, and maybe that’s because you kept messaging me back while the others didn’t, but uh… well, it’s something very serious.” There was a pause from the other line, making you grow nervous. “No, you know what, I’ll tell you after everything happens so that I don’t worry you or anything.”

“welp.”

You give in quickly, seeing as how he might not beg for you to reveal. “Okay okay, but um, I’ll make it short.” You take in a big breath, rewinding the speech in your head to the best of your ability. “So, um… well, when I lost my memory, I lived through some things that, if I hadn’t lost my memory, would have handled differently. There’s one in particular that really… it really makes me rethink everything.”

“i’m listenin’.” You attempted to speak again, but you felt your throat close up, eyes water at the thought of such atrocities. This worries your friend on the other side.

“I-I… I’m a coward,” you croaked out, free arm wiping the tears from your face. “I could have pr-prevented him from dying, but instead I just s-sat there and watched because I was s-so confused and so scared and s-so terrified I just,” you try to explain, sobbing and unable to tell more. 

“i might be out of touch with you, but can’t let you beat yourself up either, ok? don’t do this to me,” he spoke, making you swallow the tears and saliva.

“Why? Why did this happen? If only I had acted and fought back or, or-something! Anything!” you say as the anxiety and sadness was being molded into that of frustration and confusion. “I could have saved him! Sans, I saw Papyrus die by somebody I thought I knew, somebody I used to love. I don’t know anything, I can’t believe what I saw, but it happened! And it upsets me because I didn’t do anything! I watched. I saw somebody die. I saw him being murdered in cold blood, and because my stupid memory refused to return, all I did was sit in terror. I’m such a coward… but I can change that.”

“maybe i don’t know how you feel, but i know that deep inside there’s that cheerful friend i know,” he began to say. “and to be blunt, i don’t want you to go through that suffering. it’s not… good. to live with it, i mean. it does things to us, corrupts us. makes us feel like we don’t matter, but trust me pal when i say that you do.”

“You don’t have to tell me that, it won’t change my mind,” you muttered, frustrated you couldn’t fix the pocket watch to its full capacity. 

“it’s okay for me to make mistakes and give up, but not you. because you matter to me, and last thing i want is to see you roll in misery, all right?” You stay silent, having heard similar words from others. “but uh, anyway, got some news for ya’, bud.”

“And what is it?”

“dunno how, but you did somethin’ to me.” This perked you up. “been livin’ through all these resets, and… haven’t lost my memory once. not anymore. it just… world blinks around me and there i am, again, relivin’ it and with full memory of it. no more déjà vu and gut feelings. it all happened after you left, too… been thinking that you had something to do with it.” This made you grow even more frustrated. 

“Sorry um, that doesn’t sound good, does it?” you somberly responded, only for him to state otherwise.

“it’s new, takes some time getting used to, but it ain’t all bad,” he twists the truth in order to prevent you from growing gloomier. “listen to me and breathe, ok? willin’ to sing you a hella of a lullaby if it helps you out calm down.”

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” you muster out, your resolve to destroy the enemy growing stronger. “But hearing you did make me feel better though. I mean… it’s been so long since I heard about you, and I’m so glad that I get to like, catch up with you.”

“heh, stealing the words right out of my mouth.”

“Once I fix this pocket watch and do what I have to do, I’ll pay you a visit, definitely.”

“hehehe… i’ll be preparing a calendar to see how long you’re gone this time,” he joked, making you grow flustered about the last time you’ve said such a thing.

“Okay, well, I’ll try. Can’t promise since… I might not really come out alive out of this one.”

 

\--

 

“Honey isn’t that bad, go give it a shot,” Papyrus had told gasterSans, who was leaning against the kitchen wall with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He was deep in thought, pondering about his own troubles. “It chills me to the bone, if you get what I mean,” Papyrus continues on, joking and pulling out a jar of honey from the fridge. “Besides, soothes my sweet tooth.”

“not a fan of sweet things.”

“Says the greaser whose company is made just of that,” Papyrus points out, causing him to receive a glare. “Heh, doesn’t surprise me. Gotta have a yang to your yin, isn’t that right? Got my own ray of sunshine to keep me company when I’m feeling blue.”

“how long ‘till we leave?”

“Eh, give it a few minutes. Ol’ fluffy nightmare makes his presence known, just you watch,” Papyrus responds. He was surprised that gasterSans had popped out of the blue to offer his assistance, having noticed the creature that was rampaging the streets. “So why the helping hand? Didn’t think you were the heroic type.”

GasterSans could only stare out the kitchen window, watching the snow-covered landscape. The nostalgia was strong and he was beginning to yearn for his own world, even if it was a disaster of its own. “gotta keep my mind busy.”

“Say no more, bundle of joy.” He hungrily devoured the honey the moment the kitchen radio blasted out with warnings of a giant creature, having waited far too long to only take a few sips. 

“about damn time,” the golden-pupil skeleton mumbled out, cracking his knuckles. Papyrus winced, not a fan of such.

“Yeah, never getting used to all these universe copies,” Papyrus thought out before dropping the jar of honey into the sink. “Also, you can thank your walking tootsie-roll for having awakened the sleeping beauty we’re about to knock down.” 

“he ceases to amaze me. however,” gasterSans starts, doing the honors of opening a portal near the transformed Temmie. “i can promise you that i’ve never met a heart purer.”

Papyrus lets out a small snicker, admiring the greaser’s words. “You don’t say?”

The two of them jump through the portal, only to grow startled at the sight of a different monster already in Temmie’s presence, their back to them both. The beast had fallen, snow thrown up into the air, floating back down the next second.

Papyrus was the first to speak, baffled yet relieved that he didn’t have to waste his energy on his old nemesis. “Woooah there, buddy, looks like you got it covered,” Papyrus blurted out, whistling a happy tune afterwards. However, the moment the figure turned around, gasterSans had snatched Papyrus’ hood and jerked him away from the line of fire.

The two skeletons landed farther off, watching the melted snow that came from the figure that appeared to have defeated the fluffy nightmare. In fact… it was Sans. No, not one they were acquainted with or knew anything about.

“some buddy he is,” gasterSans mumbled out, pupil glowing bright as he prepared for battle. Papyrus did the same, alert and confused.

“Was gonna ask you to snatch up some grub with us,” Papyrus whined, disappointed. “Guess that wasn’t part of your agenda, hm?”

He was identical to sugarSans and swapSans, yet looked a lot more menacing than any of them. With a left eye socket that showed some breaks on its edges, pupil flickering with different colors, and most importantly, a skeleton that wore a brown duffel coat.

SwapPapyrus nudged gasterSans, getting a sense of familiarity from the attacker. “He doesn’t seem familiar to you? Swear he does to me.” However, before he could get a response they dodged the incoming beam from the gaster blasters, the enemy glaring at gasterSans.

Papyrus reached Temmie, who was groaning and trembling. “Oh look… the skinny trashbag,” it hissed, only to whimper. “The hell were you? I was waiting for you.” GasterSans kept dodging, unable to attack back due to the lack of opportunities he was presented.

Meanwhile Flowey was hidden in the background, having snatched up the human souls that finally escaped the Temmie, frantic and terrified of the duffel coat Sans that reappeared. “Why does he have to appear NOW?!” he complained, digging himself into the snow.

Papyrus watched as gasterSans and duffel coat Sans had taken their battle deeper into the woods, disappearing from sight. “That stupid skeleton stripped me free of my souls… hahaha… I was a fool to think I would stand a chance after seeing what he was capable of.”

“You know the freak?” Papyrus asked, curious yet concerned. 

Temmie let out a pained laugh. “Are you serious? Are you that stupid?” All Papyrus could do was drop his cigarette and lazily stand back up, sighing at the sight of the melted snow. “You don’t stand a chance against the demon,” Temmie laughed out. “Pulverized me doing nothing more than lifting his stupid skeletal finger.”

Papyrus immediately teleported out, worried of his comrade. However, they were nowhere to be seen. Frantic, he kept teleporting in and out of the environment, their battle unable to be caught by Papyrus’ pupils. 

“Well… shit. How the hell did I not notice them poof out of existence?” He scratched his skull, unable to understand where they could have gone. “The greaser could be anywhere with that duffel freak.”

Not wanting to leave his friend to fend off for himself, Papyrus kept teleporting to nearby areas, trying to locate them. 

Meanwhile Flowey had finally returned to the ruins, determined to find you and give you the souls that, while they were tempting, might finally allow him to return to the world his own Frisk is in.

Unable to waste another second, he dug underneath and popped out just outside the entrance of the house. This brought back memories, making him shiver and grimace at the thought of returning back to the hell he was born in.

He unleashed small vines, aiding him in climbing inside the house. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone inside; Asgore was sweeping the floor while swapSans was trying to draw on the dining room table, believing that his artwork will stun his brother Papyrus once he returned.

Flowey grew annoyed, climbing up until he reached a corner. He stayed silent and still, not moving an inch as the sweeping goat dad shuffled underneath, his sudden sneeze making the flower nearly fall from shock.

“Oh how I worry for her, Sans,” Asgore begun, catching swapSans’ attention. “She has done nothing but weep and mingle about.”

“I BEG TO DIFFER!” the spontaneous blueberry blurts out, dropping the crayons he had been using. “Last time I checked on her she was laughing, I say, LAUGHING! Of course, I could check on her like the amazing friend I am and rid of your worries!”

“Please do, Sans,” Asgore accepted the offer, concerned. Flowey flinched, quickly crawling on the ceiling towards the end of the hallway. Unfortunately, he has no clue as to which room you could be. 

Not wanting to dawdle, Flowey chose the closest room to him, firmly gripping the door knob with his vines and swinging it open. This startled you, dropping the pocket watch you were still attempting to fix and gawking at the door.

Stares were shared and silence overtook, Flowey being the first to speak up.

“YOU FOOL!”

“M-me?” you placed your hand on your chest innocently. “I mean, hello, it’s been so long and I was worried, how do you do?”

“YES, YOU! Who else would I be talking to, dimwit?” he spat, dropping to the ground and crawling towards you. “I collected the souls we need for the pocket watch, so with the energy we can FINALLY return to that hell we escaped from… never thought I would be returning there, but WHATEVER, Frisk better believe Flowey is returning. He isn’t no fool.”

“W-what?” you mumbled, shocked. “The souls? The energy? I didn’t even fix the pocket watch, how is it going to work?” you panicked. Flowey groaned, leaping up to join you in bed and spitting out the colored souls. This made your eyes dilate, never having seen such souls in… such a form before.

“Stop wasting time and let’s go!” he insisted, snatching the pocket watch and slamming the souls into it. You were jittery, unable to catch up to Flowey’s quick words and movements, still trying to process everything that was occurring. 

“How did you know that was the energy and all?” you questioned, skeptical and never having believed there were souls whose colors matched the hearts in the pocket watch. “They are identical.”

“Even a child can see this and think ‘oh, I wonder how it’s powered,’” he explained whilst mocking your voice, making you retreat. He utilized vines to try to figure out the device. “Stupid. Human. Girl. ACK, how does this work?!”

You gently place your hands on top of the pocket watch, fiddling with it and trying once more to try to open up a portal. To your shock, it was following orders and finally allowing you to input the heart of your desire, making you gasp and glance at Flowey. 

“Wow, I didn’t think that would work… it worked!”


	58. Chapter 58

“HUMAN!” swapSans bursts in spontaneously, his voice always louder than your own. This startled Flowey, who slithered behind you and cowered. “I have arrived! Not because I promised Asgore that I would check to see if you were alright, of course,” he noted, walking over to you. “WOW, did you fix it?!? You are so smart!”

“Oh I didn’t fix it, more like those hearts did I guess. And he di… where did he go?” you started, only to stop at the disappearance of Flowey. He slowly pops his head out from your hair, glaring at swapSans with skepticism. “There you are.”

“A FLOWER?! Are you… Bob? THE BOB?” swapSans gasped out, having only heard of the ‘Bob’ from rumors. His eyes glimmered, excited. Flowey protested, but it was futile as swapSans drew in closer, staring at the flower in awe. “At last I can say I have met Bob The Flower,” he muttered to himself, making Flowey finally explode from rage and impatience.

“FOOLS! STUPID! ALL OF YOU!” he hollered out before seizing the pocket watch for himself. SwapSans attempted to grab it out of the vines, but Flowey was too quick and easily dodged his predictable maneuvers, leaping out of bed and into the ceiling light above.

“Come back here!” swapSans demanded, standing up and trying to jump up to the ceiling light. Alas, he was too short. “Why does this happen to meeeee?!”

“I was being niiiiice and waited for you. I even gave you the power source! ANYBODY COULD HAVE DONE THAT! But noooooooooo, it had to be the talking flower who did it!” Flowey complained to you, trying to switch through the hearts. “But I’m no idiot, I’ll go by myself!”

“Flowey no! Let me go with you!” you blurt out and stand, making swapSans grow startled. “I have some place to go to first before returning to where you’re going.”

“You’re… leaving us?” the skeleton asked, saddened. You didn’t know how to respond, not having taken swapSans’ feelings into consideration.

Flowey kept trying to play around with the pocket watch, unable to figure out how to open up a portal. Luckily, Alphys had made it extremely difficult to open one up, the order of buttons and dials too complicated for one to simply guess. “Tch, I won’t give this back!” he shrieked, giving up and curling inside the light, clinging to the pocket watch.

Your sad eyes quickly flicker over to the flower. “Flowey, please, I promise I’ll take you back! I just need to go somewhere first!”

“NO.”

“Please!” you attempt to jump, but you were just as short. “Flowey!”

“I have an idea!” swapSans pipes out, making Flowey grumble in irritation. You admired how easily he threw away grudges, especially when just as second ago you caused him some sort of pain. “Let me give you a helping hand, human!” You nod and let him quickly sneak in between your legs, your body rising as his shoulders managed to hold up your thighs, making you squeak from fear of falling backwards. 

He was holding you on his shoulders, your head not even close to bumping against the ceiling. Luckily the light source was hanging rather low. This made Flowey’s pupils contract, not having expected to see your face near his own. 

“Hahaha… hello,” he nervously greeted, only for you to give him a somber look. “N-no! I won’t give this back until I figure it out!” he growled. Your hand steadily approached the flower, who began to bristle and inch away.

“Please?” you begged.

“_____, is it alright if I ask you a very… not so special question?” swapSans asked, staring up at the ceiling light Flowey was residing in. 

“Sure, go… right ahead,” you responded, failing to grab Flowey from inside the light. He easily moved his stem and vines out of the way of your prying hand, constantly slapping it and shooing it away.

Your hand suddenly sizzled at the touch of the hot lightbulb, making you yelp and body jerk backwards. This threw swapSans off balance, making you both fall down to the floor below. Flowey crawled over to the edge of the light, laughing devilishly and continuing to fiddle with the pocket watch.

A whimper escapes you lips, hands holding the spot on your head that hit against the cold floor. SwapSans quickly shot himself up. “Oh jeez, are you alright human?!” he spoke out, immediately extending out his skeletal hands to hold your own and help you up.

Suddenly the door was opened once more, a new voice joining the crowd. “you alright bud?! sorry i took so long, was helpin’ king asgore do some errands-”

“YOU?!” Flowey’s head pops out from the ceiling light. “What now?! Are you going to sweet talk me out of the light???”

SugarSans ignored the flower and rushed to your aid, checking for any bruises and cuts. “heard you tumble down. any cuts or pain or anything?” he quickly said, troubled. You give him a genuine smile, placing a hand on swapSans’ shoulder.

“We’re fine, just trying to get my pocket watch back from Flowey up there.” SugarSans finally took notice of Flowey, who was glaring through the glass, refusing to be defeated. “He actually fixed the watch. Can you believe it? Who knew it was powered by souls.”

“Of course it is! Anybody could have known that!” Flowey adds in his commentary, making you grow rather flustered yourself. While you were trying your best not to let his words get to you, he was also preventing you from reaching either Alphys or Paige.

“Give it to me now!” you demand, a finger pointed to the ceiling fan.

“Worry not! I will acquire this artifact of yours’!” swapSans swoops in to save the day, pulling up a chair and immediately leaping up. He landed on it and kept his balance, a leg on the chair’s back and the other on its seat. “I am kindly asking you, oh talking flower, to hand my human her artifact!”

Flowey paused, interrupting the silence with a burst of laughter. “HAHAHAHA… hahaha… idiot. What makes you think I’ll listen to YOU?!”

SwapSans definitely got offended, a slight shade of blue forming underneath his eye sockets. “LISTEN HERE BOB-”

“-I AM NOT BOB-”

“-IT IS NOT NICE TO STEAL THINGS FROM OTHERS. SHAME ON YOU!”

“I DON’T CARE.” The two continued to bicker back and forth, neither willing to accept defeat nor arrive to a compromise. You would add in your words here and there, but their booming voices would easily silence your own.

“hey, _____,” sugarSans whispered in your ear, his breath tickling you. “sorry to be whisperin’ in your ear, but uh, it’s pretty loud here.” You nodded, wincing at Flowey’s high pitched voice. “mind uh, grabbin’ some sweets in the kitchen while they’re at it?”

You shook your head, although your stomach denied it the same instant by growling. “What if they run off with my pocket watch? I really can’t let it get lost or get broken again.” His disappointed expression made you second-guess yourself, never a fan of his show of emotions that easily took over you.

“uh, how ‘bout after you get the watch back?”

This was easier to work with, making you nod and continue glancing up at the shivering ceiling light. SwapSans’ balance was iffy, the chair wobbling and the skeleton waving his arms around in order to get his point across to the flower.

But the entertainment didn’t last long. Suddenly, a third Sans entered the room, making the flower groan and give up. Flowey leaped out of the ceiling light and towards the open door, trying to sneak by the new skeleton. But he failed.

GasterSans easily caught the flower in its attempt to escape with the sudden lift of his arm, making it shake in furry. “LET ME GO YOU FREAK!”

“Are you okay?!” both you and sugarSans blurted out in unison upon the sight of gasterSans’ worn out condition. His clothes were torn and spotted with dirt, body leaning against the side of the entrance as he tried to catch his breath.

He must have just returned from whatever brawl he was in.

“been better,” he responds, having finally caught his breath. “heard you got the damn watch to work, too.” You nod, pointing at the flower he was holding, making him glance over to the captor.

“I can finally go now! And… I haven’t changed my mind yet. I still won’t let either of you go with me,” you remind them, making sugarSans give you a sudden embrace. It made you quiver, your emotions trying to get you to change your decision. “Hey hey, I’ll be okay, don’t worry.”

“you’re goin’ all in without a plan, can’t blame him for it,” gasterSans mumbled out, plucking the pocket watch away from the angered flower’s grasp. “can’t hold off on your own. heart of gold in a pit of wolves… yeah, sounds like paradise.”

SwapSans gracefully slid off the chair towards gasterSans, pretending the wind was blowing whatever invisible hair he had. “Has Papyrus returned with you? I have prepared a work of art for his arrival! It is also one of the best pieces I’ve done.”

As if on cue, swapPapyrus’ footsteps could be heard down the hallway, his nonchalant voice echoing. SwapSans quickly turned to face you and sugarSans, determined. “I will also give you the honor of witnessing one of maaaagnificent Sans’ masterpieces!”

SugarSans was the first to speak up. “oh, what-”

“SILENCE MY GIRL-VERSION LOOK ALIKE! We have no time to waste! Come!” he interrupted, marching out of the room. GasterSans stepped out of the way, refusing to let go of Flowey despite the flower’s bites and vines. 

SugarSans soon followed, grasping your hand to lead the way and giving his friend a small smile. “thanks for holdin’ on to the flower there,” he thanks.

“Yes! And can I-”

“way ahead of you,” gasterSans cut your sentence by throwing you the pocket watch, making you yelp and clumsily catch it midair. 

“Come see what he did with us,” you offered, only for him to smile and ruffle your hair. “It will be quick, I just don’t want you to feel left out is all.”

“never have,” gasterSans reassures you before glancing over to sugarSans. “took care of the temmie you unleashed earlier.” This made sugarSans smile sheepishly, eyes darting down in embarrassment and shame. You were confused, not knowing what they were speaking of.

“Did something happen?”

“eh, well, tell you ‘bout it after we see his drawing, all right? it’s a long story,” sugarSans nervously mumbled, slightly pulling your hand towards the kitchen at the end of the hallway. You glanced back at gasterSans, curious as to what he had planned.

He seems to notice, his golden pupil meeting your own, making you blush and turn away. 

 

\--

 

The white void was his home, and he still has yet to dislike it despite having spent an eternity there. Error could recall the plethora of universes he’s seen through his windows, disapproving or approving of their existence. In fact, there was a time where he easily ripped the alternate universes to shreds when he didn’t find them interesting enough. Of course, there were exceptions.

There was a window opened before Error, displaying the kitchen the blueberry was currently in, ecstatic to show the rest of his friends the drawing he’s created. “pfft, i can do better,” Error muttered to himself, his pin prick pupils looking elsewhere. 

This skeleton, swapSans, was the only reason he has… changed. It’s for the better, he’s aware, but he dearly misses his days of destruction and danger. They were also the days he used to brawl against his rival, another demi-god skeleton with the purpose of creation. It was a power he detested, yet envied, for all he could ever accomplish was tear universes apart while his rival created and maintained new ones. That damn creator was his yang, and he hated it. 

Ever since he became friends with swapSans, the other demi god has vanished. After all, his sole purpose of encountering Error was to prevent him from destroying his very creations.

He refused to tell swapSans about that tidbit, not finding it very convenient nor believable. He himself finds it difficult to believe at times, opening windows to try to locate where that skeleton could be. Alas, he would fail every time. Was he even real?

The glitch glared at the portal that was still opened in this white void, standing out to him. He has yet to destroy it, trying every attack imaginable in his power. Nothing worked, however, and all he could do was watch and hope for it to disappear. 

“fluffing portal,” he uttered, standing upright. He walked over to it, never having peeked through it. Instead, he’s been wanting to wait for his friend swapSans to initiate said “date” and take the opportunity to explore the world beyond that portal together. 

If he hasn’t forgotten about the date, that is.

The iridescent screen of the portal started to waver, catching Error’s attention. He squinted, surprised to see it move and fluctuate. Curious, he tried to touch the portal’s screen with his skeletal fingers, flinching at the feeling of static. 

Daring, he slipped his hand into the portal until he could only see his elbow. It felt no different to him, as if the portal wasn’t there, but he did notice a gentle breeze wherever his hand had disappeared into.

“hehe… hahaha… no, blueberry, bet you can’t sneak your hand into this and find mine, eh?” he started to monologue, daydreaming a scenario with his dear friend. “also, ‘member that 1-10 scale rating we started? well, guess what? on that scale i’m an 11 in hot… hehehee.” He stops and blushes, only to smile sheepishly. “how fluffing odd. he’s the only one who likes to have his heart strung up. swear them strings hurt, but uh… yeah, that’s fluffing weird.”

He suddenly felt another hand grip his own, making him instantly jerk his hand away from the portal and materialize bones around him. The unsuspecting victim kept holding on to his hand, forcibly brought into Error’s white void and out of their own.

They stumbled and came down to the ground, groaning from the face plant. 

Error stepped away, his glitching sharp bones pointing at the newcomer and ready to strike any second. What surprised him was how he didn’t recognize this person after all the universes he’s visited. He’s seen Underpatch, Sugartale, the original Undertale, Outertale, Undernovella, Underfell, you name it. He’s even been to one weird universe where everybody is Undyne.

That universe annoyed him, but he was so intrigued. He couldn’t destroy it because it was hilarious.

The victim may be Papyrus, judging from the size of the skeleton. He wore a large, golden yellow, faintly glowing scarf that matched with his yellow boots. He sported a pink short dress of some short, dotted with yellow details everywhere.

“…what,” Error blurted out, confused by what he was seeing. “gay skeletons… that’s new.”

“EXCUSE ME!” the flamboyant Papyrus shot up immediately upon those words, revealing a cute set of leaves stuck together as a decoration on the left side of his skull. An earring of some sort dangled from it, making Error snicker. “I WISH TO SHED LIGHT ON THE SUUUBJECT!”

“oh spare me, communication,” Error complained, turning around and walking away. The Papyrus flinched, confused and baffled at the white void he was standing in. 

“This… where in heavens am I residing in?!” he questioned, hands slapping themselves on the sides of his skull. “This isn’t anywhere in the Delta Ruin Kingdom! What kind of magic is this?! Did you teleport me, flying hand?!”

Error halted in front of the window displaying swapSans, who was currently showing his comrades the family portrait he’s drawn. Error was in the portrait, making him blush and eliminate the window from existence. “hmph, some fam’ portrait.”

The flamboyant Papyrus kept musing to himself, unable to grasp the reality of the situation. This amused Error, who began to float up and lean back, hands in his pockets and eyes enjoying the confused skeleton before him.

“I must confer about this with my brother Sansy this instant!”

When Papyrus’ eyes met Error’s, he froze, earring dangling and unable to stop moving. 

“…YOU! I must require you to escort me back to the Delta Ruin Kingdom!” he demanded of Error, who snorted out in denial. “You do not comprehend the magnitude of the problem, sire, for I must continue collecting the herbs I was in the process of harvesting!”

“fluff your herbs.”

Papyrus looked defeated, falling to his knees and staring at the whiteness below him. “This is merely futile.” Just as quickly as he fell, he stood up, eyes darting everywhere. Once they landed on the portal’s iridescent colors he gasped, pointing at the portal as if it were black magic. “Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?! Is that your magic?! Are you capable of transporting to different dimensions?!”

“wha,” Error sat up in the air, glancing at the lone flamboyant skeleton. “magic? heh. that ain’t new.”

“Then I must ask of you to, if you please, return to me back to my world. I have very important matters to attend to,” he asked politely at first, only to receive silence. This made him panic, smile slowly turning into that of an anxious frown. “Perhaps we may trade? Is there anything you desire? How fond are you of crystal dust? May I interest you in some erotic fruit even? Anything?!”

Error yawned out, floating back down. “Y-you can float as well?! Fantasy! I must be dreaming!” he concluded, beginning to slap himself awake. This sudden turn of events made Error fall to the ground in a fit of laughter. 

The flamboyant Papyrus ignored Error’s laughter, focusing on trying to awake himself from the odd dream he was having. 

After several minutes of failed slaps and magical attacks, Papyrus groaned out in defeat. “Curses! What am I to do in a situation like this? Am I… in heaven, perhaps? No, never! I shall not be deceived by this fiend!” 

Error had finally let out his laughter, laying down and spreading out his legs and arms in joy. 

“Sansy?! Are you somewhere out there in the vast white void?! Friskie?! GASTY! SPEAK TO ME THIS INSTANT!”

“this is fluffing hilarious,” Error mumbled out, sitting up. Papyrus rushed towards Error, flustered.

“I beg of you, I DEPLORE THIS! I must return at once! What of my brother and father? They must be frantic searching for me!”

“it’s only been a few minutes, gay paps.”

“I AM HEAVILY FLABBERGASTED!”

“wait, woah-”

“I IMPLORE OF YOU!” he started to beg, now to his knees and skeletal arms on the ground, bowing to Error. “Take me back to my homeworld.” Error could only stare in awe, never having been bowed down to before. 

“…are you fluffing kiddin’ me? all you gotta do is walk through that portal piece of fluff over there,” Error explains, pointing to the portal. “only cuz you bowed down to the 'magnificent' error am i not going to destroy your universe.”

“Are you psychotic?! Annihilate our universe?!” Papyrus repeated in his own fancy vocabulary, confusing Error even more. “Exaggeration!”

“take your high vocab fluff somewhere else,” Error finally responded, pupils glowing as he grabs Papyrus’ heart with blue strings. This shocks the skeleton, who starts to panic and spit out more fancy words. “gotta get ready for the date ‘n stuff.” Error slings Papyrus through the open portal, strings returning to their master.


	59. “take your time… i’m uh, yeh… havin’ the best time of my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course, for those who didn't catch up on it, a new AU has been introduced at last! Hollowtale!
> 
> Again, here is another chapter!

The flamboyant skeleton was thrown back to his realm, landing face-first into the pebble-riddled ground. And he was also certain he had met his creator.

“Papsi! Papsi!” voices called out to him. He droned them out, too baffled by what he had just experienced. His soul was quivering, having never been held that way by anybody, and his body was frozen with both fear and disbelief. 

“I see him! By the lake shore!”

Papyrus, otherwise known as Papsi by the residents in his realm, lifted his skull high enough to perceive his two greatest comrades; Sansy and Gasty. 

“Have you no shame, my son?” Gasty began to lecture, the two skeletons kneeling down to lift Papsi up. “Your brother has gone mad the instant you had vanished!”

Papsi gave out a dreamy sigh, confusing the two flustered magical skeletons. 

“Speak!” Gasty demanded, pushing Sansy out of the way and holding his son under his armpits. “Do not disregard your father now, it is too soon!”

Sansy glanced off into the waters beyond, trying to comprehend where his brother had disappeared, and appeared, from. It’s as if he had teleported, but that was magic his brother lacked, and only their father mastered. And even then, Gasty rarely utilized it due to being afraid of growing dependent on it.

“GASTY!” Papsi suddenly blurted out, snapping out of his daydream. This stuns the father, who accidentally drops his son on to the pebbles beneath. Regardless, Papsi shot up, unable to contain his excitement. “I have seen the all-mighty creator,” he barely whispered out, unable to say it louder. “Father… brother… I HAVE SEEN IT ALL!”

The two glanced at Papsi in disbelief, believing he was going on to one of his rants about the otherworldly and spirit realm. 

“Son, must you initiate your otherworldly conversations now? At this hour? We are but three skeletons laden with work,” he sighed out, hand covering half his face. “Perhaps at sunset? Before we rest?”

“B-b-but father! This time I have tangible evidence!” he reveals, shocking only his father. Sansy was skeptical, unable to believe his brother for one moment. However, that changed the moment Papsi turned and extended his arm out into the air in front, disappearing in a matter of seconds through an invisible portal.

Gasty gawked, staring and walking around the invisible portal. Sansy’s eye sockets widened, for the first time seeing his brother prove one of his theories correct. Papsi enjoyed their reactions, smiling proudly and withdrawing his arm from the white void he was just in.

“Beyond this entry lies the all-mighty creator!” he announces with pride, one hand pointing at the portal and the other gently placed over his nonexistent heart. Gasty didn’t hesitate to wave his hand across that one spot Papsi spoke of, watching the images warp. 

Sansy created several water-filled spheres, viciously throwing at the portal. As he thought, they disappeared. 

“Papsi… this is… ingenious!” Gasty proudly yelled out, giving his tall son a side-hug. The two stared at the portal as the father pointed at it. “Savor this moment… visualize your honor. Your pride. Your legacy… it all heightened at this very instant.”

They watched as Sansy poked his head through, only to retreat it immediately. The face he shown his family was that of bewilderment, not admiring the white void he had witnessed.

“Halt your shenanigans and applaud your brother on his discovery!” Gasty shot at Sansy, who responded with a sigh. Not one to disobey, the magical Sans gave his brother a warm hug, making Papsi blush warmly.

“If this is how honor feels like… then I like it!” Papsi pipes out, only to break the embraces. “But first, let us explore this new realm!”

Gasty joins in, just as curious. “We shall jot our observations in prospective, award-winning journals!”

Sansy faked his enthusiasm, glancing behind him at the job post they were neglecting. “i think we should go back to our job post-”

“HUSH MY SON!” Gasty plants a thin skeletal finger over his son’s mouth, quieting him. “JOIN US! We may not acquire an opportunity such as this! May this be the day everybody speaks of for centuries!”

“but uh, what if a human falls down back there?” he insisted, angering his short-tempered father.

“I HAVE SPOKEN!”

Sansy pretends to seal his mouth and throw away the key, easing the father and allowing him to return to his musings. The small Sans watched as his other two family members enjoyed the grand discovery, chatting back and forth about how they will share the news with the Delta Ruin Kingdom. 

He leaves them to fend for themselves, heading over to his post as the Gatekeeper of the South pole. However, to his dismay, his father suddenly teleports in front of him and snatches him by his collar, teleporting back to where Papsi was.

“Together we stand! And together, we shall explore!” Papsi initiates the beginning of a long adventure, dipping his hand into the invisible portal. Gasty stared at it in awe while Sansy looked terrified, not knowing what may be inside. 

“Do not fret my son, we will return when we have concluded our exploration,” Gasty tried to reassure Sansy, yet to no avail.

Sansy crossed his arms, casually staring at the portal before them. “dunno man, sounds pretty damn fishy to me.”

“And perhaps this is the reason as to why I would much rather converse with your brother,” the father said, referring to Sansy’s way of speaking. “It is unlike us, both mages and gatekeepers, to speak in such a tongue.”

“ok.”

“HARK, MY SON. HAAARK!” Gasty gives up, falling to his knees dramatically.

“you embarrass me, pops,” Sansy chuckles, finally giving in to the temptation of the unknown. Sansy grabs a hold of Papsi’s free arm, whereas Gasty quickly holds on to Sansy’s other free arm.

“Oh this is utterly exciting!” Papsi couldn’t help but muster out, ready to leap through.

“Onward!” Gasty adds, his words being the last push for Papsi to jump, dragging the other two skeletons with him.

And there they went, leaping through the invisible portal and into the white void on the other side. Papsi was no stranger to this, instead hollering out for the “all-mighty creator” that he last saw on this world.

Gasty, on the other hand, scrambled to his feet and pulled out his small notebook, scribbling into ecstasy on what he was witnessing. His body constantly rushed from one part of the void to the other, fascinated by what he was seeing. 

Sansy, however, was unlike the other two. He felt uneasy, as if he were trespassing on unknown territory. He stomped the ground with one foot, finding it unsettling to see such a white void hidden from plain sight.

He turned to his father, who was frantically writing to his heart’s content. “hey, maybe we should hightail out of here and back home… this gives me the creeps.”

“Nonsense my son! This is truly a marvelous piece of work! OBSERVE!” he extends his arms out, causing Sansy to grow impatient. “Have you even considered ogling such a… an indescribable environment?”

“yeh, it’s white and kinda borin’, gramps,” Sansy mumbled out, causing his father to gasp in horror.

“Have you considered seeing a mage specializing in the mind? Perhaps they may remedy your lack of apprehension.”

“i understand very well what i’m seein’ here, thank you very much.”

Gasty continues to jot down notes and draw out his observations, although by now its mere speculation and theories he is fabricating. “Applaud your tolerant father for coping with such insolence.” Sansy narrowed his eye sockets, walking past his father and towards his brother, who was still trying to call out to Error.

“Oh, my brother! Brother Sansy! Are you not excited over this discovery?! IT IS TRULY MARVELOUS!”

“yes, very prodigious, yep. can’t imagine what we’ll discover here, paps,” Sansy sarcastically remarked, glancing at the white void around. Papsi didn’t pick up on it. “yeh sure yer’ not… uh, getting’ us in trouble? we got the south pole to keep track of, paps.”

“It will be only but a minute, my brother! On the contrary, do not be concerned with such matters. It has been decades since a human has befallen on our lands,” Papsi replies, only adding to Sansy’s worries. “Take delight in what your awe-inspiring brother has uncovered! Not another soul may find this realm, so take delight in viewing the scenery!”

Sansy glanced about, not knowing how else to explain to his two family members that this might as well be the job of one and not three. 

The portal they just emerged from stood out from the rest of the scenery, its iridescent screen never wavering except when it was approached by a soul like his own. He admired the magic behind it, grazing his skeletal fingers across the portal’s delicate door.

“WE CAN’T AFFORD TO SLACK OFF, SANSY!” Papsi hollers out, catching his brother’s attention. “AID ME IN FINDING OUR ALL-MIGHTY CREATOR!” The smaller brother scanned everything around him, even behind the portal. Afterwards he only shrugged and glared at his brother, unable to understand how it was difficult to locate a soul in this white void. 

“take your time… i’m uh, yeh… havin’ the best time of my life.”

There was no source of water nearby, meaning that he was unable to use his magic in this realm if anything were to occur. The only one with the advantage was their father, who could easily manipulate time and space to his will. It was something Sansy was still trying to practice, unable to teleport accurately without difficulty.

“I HAVE FULFILLED MY DUTY!” Gasty blurted out, shutting his journal shut. Sansy rushed over to his father, relieved that he was done. “Now let us determine where this ‘all-mighty’ being is… while it seems ludicrous, this realm alone is an absurd scenario in itself.” Sansy quickly grew disappointed, realizing his father was just as delusional as Papsi.

Sansy didn’t want to abandon both his father and brother inside this odd realm, for what if he returns home and is unable to locate the portal? That alone was enough to make him swallow his complaints and remain silent, alert for any unusual activity around them. 

 

\--

 

“…AND as I was saying, do you ship us, Papyrus?” swapSans asks vigilantly, lifting the drawing depicting both swapSans and Error holding hands with hearts around them. All swapPapyrus could do was chuckle, accepting the drawing and secretly detesting the glitch.

“Hehe, totally. But don’t ya’ think you’re too cool for him?” he tries to steer his brother out of the idea of being with Error. Of course, his brother was rather stubborn. He wasn’t having any of it.

“Of course! But not if I share him the secrets to being just as magnificent as I, SANS!” swapSans responds, making Papyrus face palm himself. The two of them were outside the house, standing by the entrance as swapSans waited for Error to initiate the date.

You had just managed to exit the house. Luckily, you had rushed quickly enough to see swapSans wait for his suitor. “I hope everything goes well,” you manage to say, walking down the concrete steps. Papyrus glances at you from the corner of his eye, always enjoying your company. GasterSans had disappeared, although sugarSans is sure he went to a bar. Meanwhile sugarSans had returned back to his world, having abandoned it for quite some time.

“Wow, that is very kind of you my human friend! My best guess is that you are only congratulating me in order for me to repay you in the near future… yes! You will go on a date of your own, I am certain of it! Then you will seek my dating prowess, oh yes!” he gushes out to himself, enjoying the very thought of it. “Then that could only mean… you want my advice on dating?!” he concludes, making you blush at the thought. “Worry not! I will master this skill first, then I shall make you my apprentice!”

You giggle, unable to take him seriously. Papyrus uses your shoulder as his arm rest, enjoying the conversation. “I can’t wait!” you respond, somehow feeling warm inside. 

“Don’t worry bro, I got this tiny midget with me to keep me company,” swapPapyrus says, making you snicker and nudge him in return. “Heh, thought I’d forget about you for an instant? Nah. Can’t let you gloom over everything when your sugar-coated skele bestie is off to his world.” This makes you smile, admiring the love everybody carries for you, even if it’s not in a form you admire.

It had been days, or was it weeks, since you first stepped in this universe, or kidnapped and carried here by Error at least. You don’t regret it, especially after having bonded closer to both swapSans and his brother swapPapyrus. 

However, this entire day was you spending the time trying to muster out the courage to return home. Even though you had made it known to the world that you were frantic to return, and impatient as well, when the moment came you chickened out. The pocket watch is now in your possession, and you’re terrified. 

The way Error rips open his doors is unlike anything you’ve seen. Unlike the other Sans’, and swapPapyrus, the door doesn’t simply slice itself into a line and expand. No, instead it’s as if were unzipped, rectangles being pushed aside to reveal the world on the other side. In addition, pixels and numbers always shed off of it, mesmerizing anybody who saw it.

Error has arrived, you could tell, through the fascinating door he’s opened. On the other side stood the glitch, with his yellow sclera and blue pupil. His bones were black, which stood out from the white void he lived in, or at least you thought he lived in. You’re definitely sure his origin may be something else entirely.

“AT LAST YOU HAVE ARRIVED!” swapSans shrieks out in glee, throwing his arms in the air. “I have been reciting my lines over a zillion times in my head by now!”

Error tried to force out a smile, having wanted to see swapSans alone and not with you and Papyrus watching. SwapPapyrus notices, winking at Error.

“Gotta watch out for my bro, can’t let just any chum steal him away from me, ya hear?” he plays around, making Error grit his teeth and glitch nervously, unable to handle the thought of being in a date with swapSans.

“Do not let my brother’s bad jokes and sayings get to you, Error,” swapSans grumbled out, never a fan of his brother’s bad taste in comedy. “He is simply jealous he does not have a friend like you in his life. He needs somebody to plague his daily routine with random glitches and pixlexia.”

Error couldn’t help but faintly smile at that, making you smile in return after seeing such a show of affection coming from somebody who you believed never would.

“Yeah, he’s right, you got others like me and sugarSans and gasterSans with you now,” you say, looking up at swapPapyrus. He slightly blushes, scratching the back of his skull.

“Heh, guess I do, hm? Still, gotta keep an eye socket out for my brother here.”

“PAPYRUS!” swapSans blurts out upon hearing the pun. “ERROR, LET US LEAVE!”

“with pleasure,” Error smugly stated, allowing swapSans to march inside in order for him to close the door, glaring at the two of you in the process. However, the second before it closed, you swear you saw others in that void.

They weren’t alone, or was that part of Error’s idea?

“I think I saw others inside there,” you voice your curiosity, wondering who they could have been. Papyrus begins to walk back inside, pulling out his package of cigarettes. 

“Bro has been hangin’ out with that glitch for… uh, well forever. I’m sure they’re safe in there.” You couldn’t help but agree, especially after having convinced Papyrus yourself that Error wasn’t all that mean like he believed. You couldn’t go back on your word and assume Error was up to no good. Even if he looked like that type of skeleton. “So, heard from the greaser that you wanted to return back home, didn’t ya?” 

You nod, pulling out the pocket watch. “I really do… and now I can, too! Best time to when sugarSans is off in his world and gasterSans is anywhere but here.” You follow Papyrus inside, the two of you eventually sitting around the dining room table. “But, you could say I’m kind of afraid.”

SwapPapyrus places his hand on your shoulder, gingerly placing his finger against your forehead. “Want some company? Didn’t hear much of any good stuff about where you’re headin’. Kinda is putting your bros on edge, ya’ know.” He returns his finger to his side and leans back on his chair, letting out a cloud of smoke. 

“I know but, there’s a reason I don’t want them to go. And I can’t let you go with me either. Bad things can happen.”

“Eh, I’ve seen my fair share of nightmares. Been fighting them for as long as I can remember. Mmm, very sure you’ve just started, from the looks of it.” This silences you, making him believe that he was correct. “C’mon, you gotta take somebody with ya’ over there, just to make your pals feel at ease, all right?”

You hesitate, not knowing how to respond. “But if I have anybody join me, something might happen to them,” you say, worried. “I would rather see myself getting hurt and in pain that somebody else. I’ve kind of seen a lot… probably not compared to you, but for me it’s a lot.”

Papyrus leans forward, unable to understand your concern. “We’re pretty tough,” he begins, knocking on his bones, which made you smile. “Calcium is a strong thing, and your friends got a hella lot of it.”

“I still don’t think it’s safe. Sorry, just… let me do this by myself. I can’t promise I’ll keep in contact, but what I do know is that I’ll eventually return.” This only adds on to swapPapyrus’ worries, who doesn’t feel safe leaving you on your own in a realm that doesn’t sound so… innocent and all sweet.

“Hear me out on this, will ya’? Got a buddy o’ mine that might keep you company there.” This perks up your curiosity, shaking your head in denial. “Got a call a few mornings ago ‘bout my… our lil’ bro. He woke up from whatever coma-dream thing he was in.”

“You have a little brother? Another one?” you mumbled out, surprised. “Actually this is news to me… since um, in the other universes, it was just you and Sans and that was it. I mean, yeah, Gaster might have some connection, but... another little brother?”

Papyrus stands up, opening up a portal. “Give me a sec. Gotta pay him a visit,” he reveals before disappearing into it, leaving you wide eyed. 

You sat there, amazed and dazed from the revelation. All you could do in the time being was imagine how this little brother could look like. Of course, like a skeleton, but was it a thick boned or thin boned one? Did he have two pupils? What was the color of his pupil’s glow? Did they have some neat magic like their older brothers too?

The time passed by and you were anxious, wondering how you were going to convince swapPapyrus of your bad skills handling children. This brother had to be smaller than swapSans, who acted rather small to begin with.

When a portal was sliced open all you could do was hold your breath, a plethora of images circulating in your mind as to the possible look of this new creature.

SwapPapyrus walks out of it, a bundle of… love wrapped in what seems to be an over sized black-and-white stripped jacket.


	60. “I can’t… I can’t do it. I can’t kill you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea for a little Gaster brother actually crossed my mind whenever I was researching Underswap. I started to see adorable little Gasters and couldn't help but make it happen. Again, do not take my story as canon of any sort, for I believe the reality of Gaster in Underswap is that he's swapped with the Riverman. (For some reason I am unable to locate the creator's tumblr for Underswap at the moment.)
> 
> http://anthony-zel.deviantart.com/art/Underswap-Sans-Papyrus-and-Gaster-s-house-595879403
> 
> For those who would try to visualize little Gaster. Credit goes to Anthony-Zel.
> 
> *Updated: Whoopsie, looks like I forgot to add a title. Surprised I had forgotten it and didn't notice until just now.

“Oh my god HE’S SO CUTE!” you blurt out, stunned to see such adorableness instilled in a creature. While knowing it’s Gaster in a tiny body, that didn’t stop you from “awwweee”-ing the entire time. Whoever it was, they wore black pants and an over-sized pullover sweater. It was dark grey with lighter grey stripes. They looked just… amazing. You wanted to cuddle them.

“Cutie pie, ain’t he?” Papyrus says while allowing the tiny creature to wrap his arms around his neck, making you blush from how adorable it all was. 

“Hai!” it squeaked out, letting go and then giving you a starry gaze. It had enormous eyes for its tiny body, which was rather normal for babies, you suppose. “Heyo!”

It was a cuteness overload and you couldn’t help but squeak as it wrapped its arms around your own neck, frozen in time and space as you squealed some more. Papyrus let go of the tiny Gaster, admiring your reaction.

“He has that effect on everybody.”

“I can’t see why he wouldn’t,” you admit, giggling along with the child. “So is he… Gaster?” Your skeletal friend nodded, making you squeal some more as you cuddled with Gaster.

“Can’t really talk very well. Baby talk, I mean,” he mentions, scratching Gaster’s small skull. “But he ain’t no fool either. He’s pretty adept at what he does.” This surprises you, making you glance up at the tall Papyrus. “Heh, trust me, it’s pretty darn cool. He won’t bite ya’, so no need to worry ‘bout that yet.”

“Yet?” you repeat, not knowing how to take that. “Whatever it is, I can’t take cute Gaster with me… it’s dangerous!” you protest, unable to convince your heart to take such an adorable creature. 

“Show ‘em what you’re made of, lil’ bro,” Papyrus tells Gaster, who nods adorably and then wraps his arms around your neck. You grew confused as the small creature began to glow faintly purple, squeaking in the process. 

All of a sudden, a force field erupted from Gaster, forming a protective bubble around you. Once Gaster believed the bubble was the appropriate size, he solidified it, keeping you protected from the hazards outside.

“He has a force field?!”

“He ain’t no weak skull, isn’t that right?” Papyrus cooed at his little brother, who cooed back in joy. You couldn’t help but give them both glances, still not convinced. “C’mon, just wantcha to be safe out there. I don’t mind puttin’ my lil bro in your hands. I trust ya’ completely, and he can handle himself out there anyway.” You look down at your feet, not knowing what to do or say. 

Meanwhile, Papyrus heads towards the kitchen, in the mood for some honey. Gaster breaks the force field like a bubble, giggling at the sight of purple magic dust falling down. 

“I’m just not so sure,” you muttered to yourself, only for Gaster to leap up to your head and sit down, playing with your hair. It appears he can’t say much other than simple terms… just like a toddler. Could you really take a toddler with you on a mission to search out the murderer? Are you serious right now?

“I can’t take him,” you finally decide, standing up and grabbing Gaster from above your head. Papyrus’ skull pops out from the kitchen, giving you a quick glance. “He’s only a toddler! I can’t take him with me on a suicide mission!”

“A suicide mission?” he grew surprised, making you stop and realize you’ve said too much. “Well, more of a reason to take lil’ Gaster over there. He can hold down the fort on his own.”

“You don’t understand,” you shoot back, walking over to swapPapyrus. Gaster wrapped his over-sized pullover sleeves around your neck, hanging over your back like a child. “I don’t feel comfortable taking him.” SwapPapyrus began to gurgle down the honey, making Gaster’s eyes peek out from behind your shoulder and smile adorably. 

“Ask the kiddo there, he’s all up for the challenge, aren’t ya lil’ bro?” Papyrus asked, the little Gaster nodding and humming in agreement. This made you sigh, stressed from the conversation. 

“Fine, even though I still think it’s a bad idea. Don’t have much time to waste,” you agree annoyingly, rushing outside. SwapPapyrus was taken aback by your reaction, rushing behind you to see why you were dashing. In your mind you were planning out how to throw little Gaster out the portal the moment you walked right through it.

Once outside he witnessed you open a portal with ease, little Gaster turning his head to smile at his older brother. “Hey uh, take care of my lil’ bro there.”

“This is why I didn’t want to take him!” you shot back before jumping through the portal. 

This was your chance. 

You snatch the adorable creature and swing him out the portal, startling swapPapyrus on the other side. He easily seized his baby brother, stunned by your act. However, being just as stubborn as you were, hurled little Gaster against the portal, summoning the child right to you.

The portal closed immediately after, allowing swapPapyrus to sigh out in relief. While he didn’t succeed in convincing you to take any reasonable adult, he DID manage to attach a chip and camera on his little brother, just for safety. Whether it will work or not, he doesn't know.

SwapPapyrus gave himself a thumbs up, patting his back afterwards. “You go bud, keep at it and you’ll be inspirin’ other young teens to not go alone to places.”

Unbeknownst to swapPapyrus, you were actually still terrified and with the majority of your being not wanting to return home. You were also glaring at the child, who was unaware of the consequences of the trip it was about to embark on. 

"Oh my-Oh god-I don't know what the hell Papyrus is thinking by-why should I take you with me?" you muttered to yourself, side eyeing little Gaster. He stuck out his tongue, pupils exploring the contents of the laboratory you were standing in. "I can... don't freak out, _____. I can technically open up a portal and return you to Papyrus. Yes. Definitely can."

You were standing inside the laboratory you used to call home. Little Gaster “woah’d” upon seeing the mess around. What used to be a clean part of the laboratory was now a mess. Dirt spotted the greased metallic floor while dust collected on top of the devices.

One stood out from the rest, that one odd device having been cleaned to pristine condition. It was the device duffel coat Sans had demonstrated that used metallic arms to protect a floating orb. Somehow it looked eerie against the dimly lit laboratory, sending chills down your spine.

“Lemme see!” little Gaster said, pointing to the hallway beyond.

“We will, don’t worry, just um… quiet down for now, okay?” you whispered back to him. He nodded, clinging closer and tighter to you. "But I do have to return you back. Like... right now... now..."

You walked over to the hallway, your stomach now in knots and heart racing. To your luck, there was no sign of activity on either end of the hallway, making you grow a little bit more comfortable with the place.

But even then it didn’t change the fact that there might be a murderer in this very location.

Without thinking you rush over to your old room, slamming the door open. There was nobody in sight, papers all over the place and your own bed undone. The tree that was neatly drawn on the wall was written over by an unknown writing. 

“Tis’ your rum?” little Gaster squeaked out. All you could do was nod solemnly, rummaging through the mess of papers and books that were thrown around. The memories began to slap into you, making you whimper and grow weaker with every passing second. 

You tried your best to remain standing, forcing yourself to continue with the investigation. Whether it was a torn paper with useful scribbles or an old charm, you were trying to stay determined with the task at hand.

But the moment you laid your eyes on an old, torn up, small teddy bear that was impaled by a bloodied knife, your mind had broken.

Overcome with dread and horror, you fell to your knees and curled up. Little Gaster grew perplexed, unable to understand why you were beginning to mutter under your breath. It didn't help that you rocked yourself back and forth, eyes closed and lips rasping out words out of terror of death.

"...sissa?" He poked at your cheek, making you flinch and eyes open to see his own. "Yew okay?"

"N-no... I'm not okay... it's... i-it's hard to remain strong... it really is." The sound of creaking snapped you out of your curled position, sprawled on the ground in a crab-like pose. Your chest sporadically rose and fell, breathing uneven. "What the hell am I doing, this is hell, I need to go!"

"Sissa?!"

"W-we need to go!" you spat out, finally overcome with all the troubles and terrors that burdened you. With haste you leap up, running amok throughout the laboratory. You had completely lost your sense of direction and time, unable to locate the entrance back to the swapbrother's universe.

Little Gaster held on for dear life, your sharp turns making him grow dizzy. It continued for what felt like eternity, your eyes frantically trying to find the next turn and door to go through. By the time you had reached the section of the laboratory you were looking for, you were unable to recognize it. Instead, your fear and dread came crashing down harder than ever, making you screech and dash away.

"Lissen!" 

"O-oh my god, I'm going to die," you breathe out, finally making a sudden stop in front of your old room. It's where your fear and dread had begun. Where the memories came crashing down, making your vision blur from the tears streaming down your face.

Little Gaster pressed his cold cheek against your own, demanding your attention. "We safez, okayz?" he mumbled out, reminding you of the force field you were surrounded against. But it didn't help. He watched as you sat on the ground, dizzy, staring around like a paranoid child sneaking out of their parent's.

"H-he could be anywhere... c-could-"

"You safez!"

"I k-know!" you shot back, sitting up in an instant. The cold ground below sent shivers throughout your body. It didn't help that you were beginning to hear voices. What's next? Hallucinations? "But... well..." You double check the child's barrier, bringing you back down from whatever planet you were living in. 

There was a cracked mirror standing right beside you, spider webs floating above it from its lack of usage. Upon placing your image on it revealed your face to be split in two, the crack being the main culprit. And for a moment, you could see the horror and despair marked along your face. 

Then little Gaster's face popped into view, reminding you of how odd you must be behaving around the child. 

"Got to pull my shit together... I'm here... I'm safe... ish... oh who am I kidding, I can't do anything right." Your hands clasp against your face, prompting you to muster the last bit of courage you have left. Little Gaster's touch helped rekindle your hopes and might, aiding you in fighting against the demons attempting to devour you whole. 

You breathe in slowly, then sluggishly breathe out. The worries and trepidation were buried once more, a brighter and stronger flame lit anew. 

"We can return the quicker we do this," you motivate yourself, forcing your fear-soaked feet to move. Little Gaster lifted himself to the top of your head, body wrapped around it as he kept the barely-noticeable force field active around you.

Once again you continue the reason you had escaped both gasterSans' and sugarSans' pupils, eyes slowly taking in the contents of your old room. You made sure to check under every cabinet, every piece of paper, and under everything in your room. You didn’t want to miss anything, nor any clues. 

Throughout your exploration there was one new thing here, and it was a locket. In fact, it was a golden locket that you gave duffel coat Sans the first month you’ve met. It was your locket originally, given that it also had your initials, but it lacked a picture. In response to this, you took a picture of everybody; Alphys, him, and you. 

To see it in your room, neatly set on your pillow and opened, made you wonder if it had been Alphys, or even Sans himself, who was looking at it. Perhaps even Paige, you’re not even sure.

“Dat’s cute.” You hesitate to respond at first, trembling hand nearly dropping the locket as mixed feelings began to re-surge. It was Alphy's content smile that made you agree with him, scratching the back of his skull as you pick up the locket and leave the vicinity. While you should go to Alphys’ room to see if either she or Paige were there, something inside you made you feel as if you needed to check Sans’ room.

It was a horrible idea, you know it. Actually it’s a terrible idea.

“Ti’s very quiet,” little Gaster mumbled out, slightly scared. 

“Yeah, but don’t worry, I’ll t-take care of you,” you try to reassure the creature, voice quivering. You go against your gut and locate Alphys’ room, hands trembling on their way to the door knob. Once there, you gulp and hesitate, not knowing what to expect once you open it. 

It was very quiet, too quiet. There was always some kind of noise occurring here, and it worried you tremendously. 

“Hey, if you find a scary-looking skeleton, immediately summon that force field shield thing, okay?” you ask of little Gaster.

“Like him?” he points to something behind you, making you freeze. The purple force field is immediately strengthened, but it wasn’t enough to budge you out of your state of horror. Was it duffel coat Sans? It must be. What other skeleton would be currently residing here? Not sugarSans, he wouldn’t be considered scary-looking under any book.

“_____?” duffel coat Sans’ voice spoke, this time with a hint of surprise. It was enough to make you turn, albeit slowly and with wobbly legs. “you’re… here. how? i thought you lost your memory,” he continued talking, your heart sinking upon the sight of him.

Silence ensued, making you step back and grab the nearest weapon, which happened to be a wrench. Sans was baffled at first, only to connect the dots and realize why you were frightened.

His face turned somber, eye sockets filling with tears.

“you need to leave, please. it isn’t safe here with me-”

“W-why... why d-did you do that?” you cut him, voice fluctuating. “I… I thought we were friends, no, I thought y-you were a good person. A good soul… I t-thought… lots of things. But… w-why?” He remained silent, unable to answer your questions. Instead he began to walk towards you, a look of regret on his face.

“that wasn’t me, i don’t know how to convince you i-”

“STAY AWAY!” you shrieked out, a scythe suddenly popping into view. You drop the wrench and snatch the scythe from beside you, pointing it menacingly at him. “I am NOT afraid to… to… to hurt you!” you struggled with your words. Little Gaster trembled behind you, terrified of what was occurring. 

“please, give me a chance to say-”

“I SAID STAY AWAY!” you yelled, slicing the area between the two of you. He remained there, not budging from where he stood. “Tell me where Alphys and Paige are, what did you do to them?!”

“_____, listen to me, please-”

“TELL ME!” you kept demanding, your voice cracking under the pressure of fear and angst. “Please… it’s hard to believe anything, o-okay? I never thought I’d be here, swinging this thing in front of you and… and…” you trail off, tearing up. “I could never forget the look you gave me that night… that red, lone, glowing pupil. Filled with hatred and insanity,” you cried out, face changing to reveal contained anger. Little Gaster felt the need to strengthen the force field, causing sparks to slightly jump around it. Duffel coat Sans wasn’t fazed, instead he tried to get through, but only to get electrocuted. 

“Leave her alones!” little Gaster squeaked out despite trembling, making you realize that you had a small creature to take care of. This made you blink, not wanting your emotions to take over while carrying him, but the moment Sans spoke, they returned.

“i need you, ____,” Sans muttered out, inches away from the force field. “i… but i don’t want you hurt. listen to me, please, i know the things i’ve done… they’re… they’re horrible i know. things i can’t even fathom, but that wasn’t me. everything. it never was me,” he tried to explain, hands over his soul. “i watched it all, but i was helpless to do anything.”

You refused to move, confused and terrified at once. He was feet away, yet he was divulging all this to you now. Was he trying to get close to you to land the finishing blow? Or was he being honest? And even then, you shouldn’t let him close to you after what you’ve experienced.

His pupil suddenly flickered between blue and red, making you grit your teeth and raise your scythe in anger. 

Sans quickly dodged your attack, bewildered. 

“You can’t trick me this time! I know what happened, now I know who you are, everything! I won’t be stupid this time, nor a coward!” you spat out in fury. “You killed Papyrus, I don’t know where Paige and Alphys are, you lied to me!”

“_____, please-”

“I NEED TO KILL YOU!”

You leaped and tried to slice him, but to no avail. He easily dodged it, making you yell and swing your weapon everywhere, trying to land a blow on him. Little Gaster’s field prevented the skeleton from doing anything to you, electrocuting and destroying any attack and blow that it touched from the outside.

Sans left the room, still trying to find reconciliation with you despite the damage he’s done. But, like every past attempt, you ignored him and swung your scythe at him.

Your mind was filled with rage and anger, steps moving faster and mind sharp. Everywhere he teleported, you followed. Everywhere he ran off to, you followed. Everywhere he landed, you tried to strike. Every time he dodged, you tried just as quickly to slice.

“_____,” Sans tried once more, but to no avail. You had zoned him out, unleashing numerous of attacks on him. Unfortunately, none of them had landed. “it’s not too late, i can still make things right-”

“Make things right? Are you serious?!” you hollered, halting your attacks. “Nothing you do will ever make me forgive you.” Your words pierced through him, making his wide-eyed expression soften into that of hopelessness. 

He gave up, falling to his knees and placing his arms behind his back. This made your mind grow blank, his pose unexpected.

“Are yew okay?” little Gaster mumbled to you, worried. But you weren’t okay. None of this was okay. Duffel coat Sans was kneeling down to you, seemingly accepting defeat, and therefore, death. It baffled you, seeing him like this after everything he’s done.

You lift your scythe and prepare to aim. Sans glanced up at you, teary and with an expression of guilt and misery. This was your chance to end it all. The murderer that had scarred gasterSans. The one that had kept you up in nightmares that wouldn't stop. The one that had made you realize what it felt like to feel paranoia. 

This might as well be the only opportunity you will ever receive. He's sitting there, body never budging, fragile bones a mere foot away from your sharp scythe. 

But you couldn’t do this. 

The scythe clanks down on to the steel floor, shocking Sans. Little Gaster dissipates the force field, perplexed as to what you might do next. “what are you doing? kill me now, do it now! there’s no time, i can’t hold him off any longer,” he quickly said, voice quivering. It confused you, his words, but without thinking you fell down and hugged him. 

He broke the embrace immediately, not knowing how to handle the emotions. “summon whatever the hell that scythe is and kill me now,” he demanded harshly, panting out. Little Gaster was confused, whimpering and burying his face in your hair.

“I can’t… I can’t do it. I can’t kill you,” you mumbled, wiping the tears from your cheeks and standing up. “Even after everything I… I can’t bring myself to kill you. It’s pathetic, I know, something inside me still doesn’t want to see you end like this-”

“god dammit, _____, kill me now!” he hissed, standing up and harshly grasping your arms. “you have no idea who i really am, what i’m capable of. i’m lucky to even be holding them off for this long!”

“Who are you holding of? What’s going on?” you finally listen to him, making him suddenly give in to his emotions. He steals a kiss from you, making you gasp and push him away. “No, don’t do this to me, you know how much that hurts?!?!” 

“doesn’t matter anymore, just… please, summon the scythe and pierce me with it, right here,” he points to his soul. You shook your head in disbelief while Sans nodded in contrast. “you have to. after this i… i might not return. i might be gone forever.”

“I don’t understand, how can I help you, anything I-”

“you haven’t changed a bit, have you?” he interrupts, struggling to stand up. “always saying one thing, but doing something else entirely… heh… guess i should’a seen that coming,” he began speaking like his old self, making his theory all that more reasonable to you. For once his flickering pupil returned to its original color from all those months ago. 

He was himself, even if it was just a moment.

“It is you… oh my god, Sans, I-” you stopped the moment he collapsed to the ground, the skeleton grunting and trying to pull himself together. “SANS! Are you okay?!”

“there’s… somebody among you… don’t trust them, don’t!” he warns you before he begins to hold his skull, letting out grunts of pain and frustration. “leave, now!” he yelled before teleporting himself out, leaving you and little Gaster to fend for yourselves.

You were appalled, staring blankly at the wall in front. Little Gaster tried to catch your attention, shaking your head and summoning the purple force field just for safety. 

What have you done?


	61. “SCANDALOUS!”

Error closed the door with the flick of his wrist, watching the numbers and pixels fade away in a matter of seconds. Oddly enough, the talkative swapSans hadn’t spoken a single word the moment he had stepped inside.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!” a familiar voice speaks. While swapSans may not recognize it, Error definitely does. That voice was the same one that irritated him with their high class vocabulary. 

He turned immediately, and as he thought, the flamboyant Papyrus was feet away from swapSans. It was during this moment that Error noticed that Papsi was not alone this time.

“Are you the all-mighty creator my son has spoken of?!” Gasty hollered out from the other side of the void, Sansy standing right beside him with a look of shame. “Rejoice!”

“no, the fluff you talkin’ about some ‘mighty-creator’ shit-”

“ERROR! LANGUAGE!” swapSans covers his friend’s mouth in an instant, giving the others a sheepish smile. “WELCOME WELCOME-OHMYGOSH YOU LOOK LIKE MY BROTHER!” he squeaked out, dashing around Papsi in ecstasy. “BUT WITH GIRLY CLOTHES!”

“Gadzooks!” Papsi blurted out just as loudly. “You are indistinguishable from my brother Sansy! Preposterous!”

Gasty teleported away from Sansy and near the chatting skeletons, leaving his short son alone in the distance. It didn’t matter, for Sansy watched from afar, not knowing how to absorb the fact that there are two skeletons that look oddly similar to him. “My son, is this the creator you spoke of?!”

“that’s hilarious,” Error mumbled out, walking over to his friend swapSans. “the fluff gave you permission to enter my place??”

Papsi lifted a finger and opened his mouth to speak, but not before swapSans intervened first. “ERROR, LOOK! ANOTHER ME!” he points to Sansy, who grew startled. He began to dash towards Sansy, excitement in his eyes. “Who are you?! You look just like me! But dressed in cute clothes!” 

Sansy opened his mouth, but alas, the overexcited skeleton interrupts once more. “No, do not fear! Your magnificent identical friend is here! I know what you’re thinking, you want to look like me, but you don’t have the battle body!”

“eh, not really uh, i-”

“SILENCE! I, the magnificent Sans, have decided to lend you one of my battle bodies!”

“no, bud, hey-”

“SANSY! ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY!” Gasty hollered out from the distance, frustrating Sansy. “DO NOT REJECT THIS ONCE-IN-A-MILLENNIA OFFER FROM THE HEAVENS!”

Error watched in disgust, unable to either comprehend the fancy individuals or his friend’s curiosity over another identical Sans. Error is already accustomed to this, having traveled to different universes and often stumbling across many others with a similar appearance to his. 

“GASTY! This is the all-mighty creator!” Papsi says, posing dramatically in front of Error, who looked puzzled. “He is the owner of the captivating dimensional door!”

“Fascinating!” Gasty responded, eyeing Error with curiosity. “Is what my son voices the utter truth? Or is it fabrications? Oh the hypotheses and theories that will unfold from this!”

“uh. no. not gonna do this,” Error grumbled, ignoring the two skeletons and walking over to swapSans. Gasty and Papsi followed closely. “the exit is fluffin’ over there.”

“This is quite alarming; he speaks Sansy’s tongue!” Gasty breathed out while Papsi nodded happily.

“This could mean Sansy is connected to our all-mighty creator!”

“Very compelling, my bright son!”

Error stopped in his tracks and swiveled around towards them, toying with the idea of being an all-mighty creator. It was a big title, and perhaps he could play with it for a tad bit. “i am the all-mighty creator, bow down to me you fluffin’ subjects and uh… stuff,” he tried his best to come up with good vocabulary. Didn’t matter, for they did as he told, and bowed down.

Sansy watched from afar, surprised and ignoring swapSans’ words. Seeing his father and brother bow down was rather humiliating, and thus abandoned swapSans and sped over to Error.

“WAIT! I never got your name!” swapSans blurted out, rushing behind Sansy as well. The two of them reached Error, who was savoring the attention he was receiving. Meanwhile, the two bowing skeletons were musing to themselves, somehow finding the prospect of bowing down to a potential legend very phenomenal. Unfortunately, they didn’t last too long on the ground, for Sansy forced his family to their feet, glaring at the glitch. 

“dunno who you are, but you ain’t no god to me,” Sansy spoke, making Gasty and Papsi gasp. SwapSans was confused, slowly slipping in front of Error’s view to demand answers. “who are ya’ really?”

“i’m the fluffin’ all-mighty creator,” Error growled back, glaring at the two taller skeletons. “bow down you imbeciles!”

“ERROR! MANNERS!” swapSans swats his friend behind the skull. “Do not pay attention to Error, he has… difficulty befriending others. And! That is why I am here! To be his mentor!”

“let’s go,” Sansy concludes, walking away and towards the portal. This alarms swapSans, who was looking forward to befriending his identical twin.

“We haven’t even shared tacos yet! Come back!” swapSans begs, beginning to chase the mystically-dressed Sans with saddened eyes. “I need somebody to share my battle body with! It has been collecting dust over the centuries!”

“that old thing in your closet?”

“HUSH ERROR!”

“May I intervene?” Gasty asked with a heightened voice, catching swapSans’ attention. “I am beginning to fathom the idea that this was all a misunderstanding… at best, I might be witnessing potent mages in the craft of space and time?”

“uh, what.”

“While I may not really know what you are saying at this very moment,” swapSans begins, abandoning the chase and returning to Error’s side, “I heard the word magic and mages and I can do magic, yes!” All the cheery Sans could do was guess, being just as dumbfounded as Error. However, he came up with an idea, initiating the plan with a poke to Error’s cheek bone. “His magic is so cool! Would you do the honors of showing them my friend??”

Error glanced at the blueberry, then at the other two wonderstruck skeletons. Sansy was impatiently waiting near the iridescent portal, arms crossed and pupils constantly switching between the two strangers.

“uh.”

“DO THE STRING THING! It feels like the best thing I’ve ever felt!” swapSans brings up, making Error hesitate. No words came out of the glitching monster, who could only keep glaring at his blueberry friend whilst internally screaming to himself. The idea of entertaining these strangers was beyond his own comprehension, not to mention that he only got so far with this entertainment with his only best friend, swapSans. 

“Then…” Gasty began, his expression turning blank. “Well this is just marvelous.” Papsi flinched, a keyword having just been spat out by his father. “Here I was, an ignoramus as I deduced my son’s claims as true. How wondrous.”

“Gasty, I suppose it is too late to make amends?” Papsi mumbled out nervously, pupils unable to meet his father’s. Error took advantage to convince swapSans to ditch the strangers and go into paradise. Alas, he failed.

“Belated, in fact!”

“This is truly amazing, to see such fluid and higher level words being spoken… I must step up and learn these as well!” swapSans forces himself into the conversation, taking a step forward. “I want to sound smart too and surprise my lazybones of a brother!”

Error grumbled, vexed that his friend was trying to form bonds with these skeletons. Then again, there was the smarter of the three and he is standing right by the portal. The last thing he wanted was for the date to turn into an annoyance for him, especially when the novella he was planning on seeing is going to start soon.

“hey, stop talkin’ to the fluffers and let’s go watch the fluffin’ novella. it ain’t gonna watch itself, blueberry,” Error hollered out, hands in his dark jacket’s pockets. “portal ain’t closin’ anytime soon either… they’ll fluffin’ return later anyway.” This didn’t seem to do the trick, distressing the glitch. 

The trio began to chat, the colorfully dressed skeletons just as talkative as swapSans. This was a disaster to Error, who could only watch and contain his frustrations. He wasn’t the only one however, for Sansy was also discomposing himself. 

“guess imma take a snooze,” Sansy concluded, leaning against the portal.

All of a sudden, the object he was leaning against blinked out of existence. His leaning body abruptly fell, impacting the cold white surface beneath. 

The portal was no longer there.

“hey paps. old gramps,” Sansy hollered out, cupping his mouth to louden his words. While the trio kept talking about each other’s world, Error rotated around without moving his legs towards the source, lethargic. But his aggravated expression quickly subsided upon the disappearance of the portal.

Both Error and Sansy exchanged glances, horrified from the realization that they would see each other for a longer period of time. 

Sansy broke his gaze, walking over to the chatty group. “uh, fam, got a prob over here,” he tried to bring the problem to their attention. Alas, he failed. 

“hey, blueberry!” Error pitched in, finally catching the attention of the hysterical skeletons. They had been talking about the existence of televisions and video games in swapSans’ world, which baffled the other two. 

“Is there a dilemma?” Gasty wondered, to which Sansy nodded nonchalantly. He pointed to where the portal was once located. At first the father was puzzled, unable to understand the situation to his worries. 

After a small exchange of looks and glances between the group, Gasty and Papsi finally understood the severity of the situation. 

“ain’t my fault,” Sansy blurted out, crossing his arms. 

“SCANDALOUS!” Papsi squawked out, hands against his skull and posing dramatically for effect. “Did you wish for us to stay here far longer than anticipated, my lord?!”

Error flinched at the words, unable to accept such courtesy from anyone other than swapSans; they sounded very pleasant however, but odd as well. “shut your trap, i ain’t no fluffin’ lord or mighty-thingy fluff fluffer.”

“This is quite unsettling… however,” Gasty begins, teleporting closer to Error. “Perhaps, under your consent, a new portal could be forged?” There was silence as everybody looked fixedly at Error, with the exception of swapSans of course. The hyperactive skeleton was peering at Sansy instead, excited by the prospect of staying a while longer with his duplicate. 

“don’t feel like it,” Error finally responded, stunning Gasty. Papsi scrambled over to Error with pleading eyes and trembling arms. In respone, Sansy easily avoided swapSans’ bear hug, glaring at Error.

“N-now, I know you are a very humble and sincere… mage,” Papsi said, recalling Gasty’s words. “If a longer visitation is what you seek, then that is what we will grant. Do not be afraid to ask of such!”

“OH DEFINITELY!” swapSans quickly chimes in, blocking Papsi from Error’s view. Papsi immediately beams out with glee, making Sansy slowly tumble down, feeling the need to take a nap amidst the ensuing confusion. “I can show you my space action soldiers and professionally-hand-built model-sized space ships! OH HOW ABOUT MY TACOS?! TACOS! BURRITOS! You can even meet my brother Papyrus! Do not mind his filthy ‘smoking’ habit, it is counterproductive and unsatisfactory behavior. Oh, sometimes I wish he could spend more time with me, his magnificent smaller brother, than with his foolish cigarettes,” swapSans slowly transitioned over to his monologue, arms crossed in disgust with a face of disappointment. “I sure miss my brother.”

“Your sibling harbors the same name I have given to my youngest son… how… phenomenal! This only strengthens my mental theory that we are in an alternate dimension!” Gasty pipes up, growing enthusiastic. “If you would be so good as to converse with us more on… your family. I am most curious on the ties your dimension carries to our own.”

SwapSans had never been so eager, immediately shooting up a storm of words that annoyed Error to no end. To see his good friend completely forget about the date and get indulged in these strangers was irritating him, not to mention that the topic of the portal was easily thrown aside.

Sansy was still on the ground, catching his snooze. Error gritted his teeth at the sight, feeling the need to rid of these pests before the entire day is wasted.

And that is what he did. To swapSans’ shock, Error ripped open a door to the ruins, closing it and leaving his dear friend inside the white void.

“Error? Why would he leave without a warning? He always gives me a weird warning before he leaves me alone to do something… did I forget something?” swapSans pondered out loud, halting the conversation he was having upon the sound of the closed portal. “Nope, I have my cool blue scarf-”

The blueberry gasped in horror, startling the other two skeletons. “THE DATE!”

“A… date?” Gasty repeated, to which Papsi also gasped. “Do you speak of a rendezvous?”

“THIS IS HORRENDOUS!” swapSans begins to say in horror, having forgotten. “HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO BLIND?!”

“Did you initiate the romantic date?!” Papsi asked, understanding the situation. Gasty grew pale, unable to imagine both Error and swapSans as being romantically involved. They looked identical, save for their color palettes and personality. “IT IS OF UPMOST IMPORTANCE TO INITIATE IT!”

“I HAVE NOT!”

“DO NOT WASTE MORE TIME, SCAMPER INTO THE SUNSET FOR YOUR UNDYING LOVE!”

“I, THE MAGNIFICENT SANS, WILL FOLLOW MY IDENTICAL-BROTHER-FRIEND’S ADVICE!” swapSans decides, marching away from the group. At first Papsi and swapSans were determined to see the goal accomplished.

Gasty, on the other hand, finally began to realize that the portal was gone and its potential creator no longer in sight. 

A moment later, swapSans halted, swiveling around to face his new friends. “I AM RETURNING NOT BECAUSE I HAVE NO WAY OF LEAVING!”

“I sympathize with you, brother-look-alike!” Papsi responds, looking just as defeated. “Gasty is right, we must heed his words and await for your suitor to open our path back home.”

“For the time being, why do we not try to acquaintance you with my oldest and brilliant son, Sansy? Fortunately, I believe you will find his speech pleasant… for it is remarkably similar to that of your… your potential beloved,” Gasty offered, struggling to find the right word to define Error to swapSans. “I do not disapprove of your ways or romantic traditions… it is simply out of the norm for a mage such as I to see such.”

“I embrace your ways!” Papsi said otherwise. “As does my faithful brother Sansy, isn’t that correct Sansy?” 

Sansy was laying down, catching up with lost sleep. Gasty smiled upon seeing this, especially since he’s a father who has yet to socialize with his oldest son as much as he does Papsi.

“Do not pay attention to my dozing brother. He is simply exhausted from the day’s labor,” Papsi quickly said with a bright smile, comfortable around swapSans after a good amount of talking.


	62. “let me show you i can hold off on my own, ok?”

You didn't want to move, not after what you've experienced. Little Gaster, on the other hand, thought otherwise. He kept trying to catch your attention, only for you to slightly push him aside, too focused on trying to figure out what just occurred. 

"Hey, yu thwere?"

"Not now."

"It's scary herez."

"This can't be happening."

"He lookz like mai big brothar."

"I'm so confused that I just can't."

You kept exchanging words with the little Gaster for what seems like an hour, never really realizing that you were a sitting duck and possibly in danger. Little Gaster kept the force field up, constantly vigilant and cowering in fear. 

"It's scary herez sissa!"

"Not now, Gaster," you grumbled back, mind still blank and not wanting to return to reality.

"Sissa!"

"Hm?"

"Sissa!"

"Hmmmmm?"

"Sissa sissa sissa sissa sissa sissa-"

"W-whatI'mhere!" you involuntarily responded back, finally snapping back out of whatever train of thought you were having. Little Gaster gave you a warm embrace, relieved to see you return to your senses. "Um... shit. He never told me where Alphys and Paige were, did he?"

Little Gaster shook his head in dismay, still scanning the premises. "Guess I'll have to find out where, right? And does that shield of yours like, bounce everything back or how does that work?" you whispered, still feeling perplexed by the turn of events.

The baby gave you a blank look. "...wha sissa?"

"No, nevermind, sorry for asking such a difficult question," you muttered back, mentally lecturing yourself over asking such a thing to a child. The hallways had returned to being quiet with the occasional sound of dripping water and loud winds. 

Sans was nowhere to be seen or heard.

To your dismay, there was no sign of either of the girls in the laboratory. You spent a good amount of time going through every room, every hallway, every cabinet and bed imaginable. 

You even went to Sans' room, which was... empty. It was devoid of anything. Last time you've walked in there, although without permission, the room was a mess of papers and books, but now... it was empty. Instead, the walls were replaced with scratches and the floors with burns of different colors.

Even the laboratory rooms that were normally closed and kept off limits were opened. Unfortunately, they were also a wreck. Whatever experiment had been occurring there is no longer. 

You managed to monologue yourself back to sanity after seeing an odd display of behavior, preventing another random bout of panic and horror from occurring. 

The only thing left to do is to re-check every room and hallway once more in case you had forgotten clues of any sort. While it didn't sound like a pleasant idea, you didn't feel like leaving the laboratory to explore what's beyond, either. 

"Imma so tirez," Little Gaster yawned out, his shield beginning to flicker out of power. "So sleepyz... so... tirez."

"It's okay," you whispered, gently unhooking Gaster's oversized sleeves from around your neck. "You can sleep, I'll hold you and keep you safe."

"Thank yewz." And with that said, he literally fell asleep on the spot. 

"Well, you weren't kidding, were you?" With Little Gaster asleep you didn't want to continue searching. It only meant that you were defenseless without protection, and to top it off you had to maneuver around while holding Little Gaster close to your chest like a child.

Skittish, you decide to camp out in Alphys' room, still determined to find your two friends before you leave this wretched place. In fact, you get your hands on an odd book that was strewn in the middle of the hallway, foolishly hoping that it could contain some sort of clue to their whereabouts.

“Home sweet home… I guess,” you breathed out, opening the book whilst your eyes scanned the vicinity around. Sans could definitely appear any moment, and the more you thought about his threat, the more concerned you grew. Why had you not left the damn place in the first place? 

Because you had to find your friends, that’s why. While you were gone with amnesia, both Alphys and Paige must have definitely had their own scares and threats as well. In fact, you’re forcing yourself not to think the worst that could have happened to them. It’s very difficult, and deep inside you had a feeling something DID occur to them… you just couldn’t figure out what yet.

The book had a broken spine and pages yellowed from age. Dust would come flying out every time you flipped the page, constantly making you blink from the irritation it was causing. Little Gaster didn’t seem bothered by this, even when the book itself was placed over him. 

At first you thought it was a regular book containing the data for Sans’ experiments. It wasn’t Alphys, but San’s thoughts on the matter and his speculations. The writing gave it away, for Alphys’ wasn’t as sloppy or easy-to-understand. 

That was at first, of course. Seeing as how it won’t help you find out the location of your friends, despite it being interesting, you begin to skim through it while your eyes grew baffled by the complex sketches every so often. Here and there random notes would nearly slip out, only for your quick hand to scoot them back in their place.

But it wasn’t until halfway through that skimming process that you began to notice a different kind of writing style. It was cleaner and its content much different than that of the experiments the book had begun on. To your surprise, it was as if it were a diary.

“Shit.” By the third page it had switched language, no longer English and a more ancient, different tongue. It looked nothing like anything you’ve seen, making you grumble and kill your hopes for answers. 

You fiddled with the pocket watch until it allowed you to open up the storage, albeit with some glitches here and there. Water bottles still took up most of the space along with other food articles. The lone bag of chips inside reminded you of Frisk, making you grow solemn at how long he’s gone on without seeing you. 

The ancient scribblings were thrown inside the storage, save from the hazards outside that were eating away at it. Worries then started to fill your already-frightened mind, the possibilities of what could occur next daunting to you.

Little Gaster yawned, whistling out from time to time. If it weren’t for the lone child laying on your lap, then you wouldn’t be as calm and quiet as you were now. Otherwise you would be anxious and terrified, feeling as if death would be lurking at every corner and you couldn’t do a single thing about it.

You forced the thoughts away, cradling the baby skeleton in your arms as you begun to stand. But, in that instant, you heard the sound of quick footsteps. This made you gasp, eyes darting everywhere for a safe place to hide. 

Not under the table, the cabinets were too small, you couldn’t just plop right into the pile without waking up Little Gaster, and you could never think of going through the small vents. Your quick-beating heart and cold body wasn’t making it any easier to focus, fear overwhelming you.

Could it be Sans? How will he treat you?

The footsteps got closer and quicker, making you panic and immediately tip toe behind the opened door. One arm secured Little Gaster against your chest, the rest extended itself away from your body, ready to do whatever needs to be done for defense. Despite the terror you were feeling, you were also forcing yourself to… break away from the habits of a coward.

Then again hiding behind a door with a trembling hand isn’t really bravery. 

Seconds ticked by as you mentally counted the footsteps, only for them to disappear the instant they passed your room. 

“boo-”

Your free hand instantly snatched the materialized scythe from thin air, slashing down the general area the voice had arrived from. It jerked halfway through, stopped by… another scythe.

“H-hey… it’s you,” you quickly said, shocked to see gasterSans standing before you. He roughly set the scythe’s bottom end against the floor, posing rather sensually as he lifted an arm up above his skull to reach the topmost blade of his scythe. “I THOUGHT I-” you yelled out, yet halted at the loudness of your voice. “…I thought I told you not to follow me! I wanted to do this by myself! What if you got hurt?!”

“dunno, you seem like easy prey to me right ‘bout now,” he points out, making you grow flustered. “also noticed your protector babe ain’t all that good right about now, is it?”

“He was tired, that’s why,” you mumbled back, glancing down at Little Gaster adoringly. “And he did a perfect job of protecting me.”

GasterSans glanced up, seemingly debating an issue in his head as you tried to calm down your nerves, still on edge after the small scare you’ve experienced. “c’mon, let’s get you outta here.”

“N-no, not yet.” He gave you a skeptical look, not convinced. “I still have to find Alphys and Paige. Don’t want to leave without them.”

“let me help you out there then,” he sighs out, making the scythe blink out of existence.

“Is sugarSans with you too?” you change the subject, just as worried for your sugary pal. The thought of him wandering in the hallways containing a murderer terrified you, making you grow anxious. “Please tell me he isn’t with you.”

“sorry to break it to ya’, but,” he begins, leaning down to get a closer look at your terrified pupils. “young love isn’t so willin’ to leave his damsel in distress behind, now is he?”

“N-no, you’re lying, he can’t be here,” you blurt out, sliding out from under gasterSans’ looming figure. “Where is he?! I need to find him before anything happens!”

“the one you should be worrying about is yourself. knew you weren’t ready to take on the world outside on your own… i know you, _____.” It’s been so long since he’s uttered out your name, making you anxiety heighten. “won’t let you do this by yourself, all right?”

“Where is he?” you repeat, still a nervous wreck. “He could be hurt right now, especially if you’re not with him-”

GasterSans whisks you away mid-sentence, ripping open a door right towards sugarSans, who was delighted to see you from outside the laboratory. However, his delight turned into confusion upon the sight of the baby you were cradling, prompting gasterSans to flinch at the thought of Frisk.

“do you need any help? i can help you with the kiddo if you want-”

“Why did you follow me?!” you interrupt, infuriated and scrambling yourself out of gasterSans’ arms. “I mean, I can’t be as mad with him over here-” you point to gasterSans, who was closing the door he just opened. “-He’s a freaking karate machine over here, whipping out the scythe and all, but not you! You could be huuuurt! Like, really hurt!”

SugarSans frowned, feeling solemn for having made you upset. “was just really worried for ya’, couldn’t help but kinda follow you here… doesn’t make it any better knowin’ that duffel-coat duplicate of me is roamin’ out there, too.”

“But what if you got hurt?! I would feel so guilty, so at fault, everything would have been my fault!”

“we can’t keep your friends waiting,” gasterSans spoke out, making you rethink your words.

“Try to return home, or at least with the swap brothers or something, I just don’t feel comfortable with you here with us,” you repeat your worries, the baby snuggling with you beginning to squirm from the noise.

SugarSans hesitated, not wanting to return and leave you with gasterSans, out of all skeletons. “can i at least stay ‘till you find your friends?” he begged, eye sockets glimmering with angst. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust gasterSans, no, on the contrary, he trusted him with all of his being. But, there was something else he refused to admit, something that he’s never experienced that he’s unable to control… and that’s jealousy. Jealousy that he’s unable to offer you the protection he wishes he could. Jealousy from the way you allow gasterSans to protect you despite how short of a time you’ve spent with him. Jealousy from the way you make it seem as if he’s a burden, as if he were the one being rescued. Well, he’s not.

“let me show you i can hold off on my own, ok?” sugarSans adds in, making you grow hesitant. “remember when i was feelin’ like i was being left behind? like i was a burden? this… this is why, and i want to change that for ya’. i want you to feel safe with me, not uncomfortable or scared.” This makes you second guess your actions, feeling as if you had been unfair to him. 

“he has somethin’ to say to you,” gasterSans brings up, making you glance up at him and sugarSans blush a faint shade of pink. “this isn’t the best time, but been noticin’ that maybe there won’t be a next time.”

“i uh, don’t think this is the best time either… maybe it should uh, ya’ know, wait ‘till we’re not all worried and emotional ‘n stuff,” sugarSans struggles with his words, his blush now more prominent. “l-let’s go find your friends then, ok?”

“Yes, please, the more time we spend not finding them, the more likely they might get hurt!” you insist to gasterSans, who nodded in agreement.

“if that’s what will make you go back to carrot top and blueberry, then guess i’ll stay to speed things up.” This makes you grow relieved, clutching little Gaster closer to you. “been meanin’ to ask, what’s with the little fellow you’re holding? never seen him around.”

“i was confused too,” sugarSans adds in, just as curious. It also helped his blush dissipate, the topic having been changed, fortunately.

As if on cue, the child woke up from its short nap, mouth widening to release a yawn. Upon the sight of the two skeletons it flinched, immediately releasing its energy and magic.

The force shield was in the skeletons’ range, catching them off guard and pushing them away from your area. GasterSans had leaped out of the way in time, having caught the sudden glimpse of magic before the shield. SugarSans hadn’t. He was easily flung feet away, making you yelp from the accident.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?! I am SO sorry!” you gasp out, rushing over to sugarSans’ side. GasterSans snickered out, enjoying the irony of it all while little Gaster exchanged glances between the skeletons, unsure as to what to believe. “Are you badly hurt? Are you okay?”

SugarSans let out a small grunt when the force shield touched him once more, making you back up immediately when he jerked away. “uh… yeah, i’m okay, don’t worry ‘bout me,” he forced out with a hoarse voice. He struggled to his feet, small sparks and static still present on his clothes. “that’s one strong kiddo.”

You grew jumpy, unable to find the words to tell Little Gaster about turning off the shield. Meanwhile Little Gaster kept holding on to your neck tight, burying his face in your hair. “Don’t worry he’s a friend, yes, a friend! He’s my best friend, so he’s not a danger to us,” you tried your best. Fortunately, although you did it horribly, it worked. Little Gaster broke the shield, grinning from side to side upon witnessing sugarSans rush over to your side.

“Sowwy,” the baby mumbled, the smile quickly turning into a frown. SugarSans didn’t let the ordeal bother him, instead he gingerly set his skeletal fingers over the baby’s skull. 

“it’s all right, should be sayin’ thanks for takin’ care of her for me,” he grins, making Little Gaster giggle from delight.

“thanks yew!”

“don’t mention it, keep her safe for me, ok?”

“yessah!”

“Isn’t he adorable?” you say, making sugarSans nod in approval. “No, wait, we’re wasting time, let’s go.” GasterSans found you amusing, stretching and cracking whatever bones he felt like stretching.


End file.
